DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  INTERIOR 

JOHN  BARTON  PAYNE.  SECRETARY 

NATIONAL  PARK  SERVICE 

STEPHEN  T.  MATHER,  DIRECTOR 


BIRDS 

OF  THE 

PAPAGO  SAGUARO 
NATIONAL  MONUMENT 

AND  THE  NEIGHBORING  REGION 

ARIZONA 


By 

H.  S.  SWARTH 


Contribution  from  the  Museum  of  Vertebrate  Zoology 
of  the  University  of  California 


WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE 
1920 


DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  INTERIOR 

JOHN  BARTON  PAYNE.  SECRETARY 

NATIONAL  PARK  SERVICE 

STEPHEN  T.  MATHER.  DIRECTOR 


BIRDS 


OF  THE 


PAPAGO  SAGUARO 
NATIONAL  MONUMENT 

AND  THE  NEIGHBORING  REGION 

ARIZONA 


By 
H.  S.  SWARTH 


Contribution  from  the  Museum  of  Vertebrate  Zoology 
of  the  University  of  California 


WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE 
1920 


THE  NATIONAL  MONUMENTS. 

ADMINISTERED  BY  THE  NATIONAL  PARK  SERVICE,  DEPARTMENT    OF  THE  INTERIOR. 

[Number,  24;  total  area,  1,815. 22  square  miles;  chronologically  in  order  of  creation.] 


Name. 

Location. 

Area 
(acres). 

Distinctive  characteristics. 

Devils  Tower  (1906)  
Montezuma  Castle  (1906)  

El  Morro  (1906) 

Wyoming  
Arizona  

New  Mexico 

1,152 
U60 

240 

Remarkable  natural  rock  tower,  of  volcanic 
origin,  1,200  feet  in  height. 
Prehistoric  cliff  -dwelling  ruin  of  unusual  size 
situated  in  a  niche  in  face  of  a  vertical  cliff. 
Of  scenic  and  ethnologic  interest. 

Petrified  Forest  (1906)  

Arizona  

25,  625 

a  castle,  upon  which  inscriptions  have  been 
placed  by  early  Spanish  explorers.    Con- 
tains cliff-dweller  ruins.    Of  great  historic, 
scenic,  and  ethnologic  interest. 
Abundance  of  petrified  coniferous  trees,  one 

Chaco  Canyon  (cha'k6)  (1907). 
Muir  Woods"  (mur)  (1908)  .... 

Pinnacles  (1908) 

New  Mexico... 
California  

do 

i  20,  629 
295 

2  080 

of  which  forms  a  small  natural  bridge.    Is 
of  great  scientific  interest. 
Numerous  cliff-dweller  ruins,  including  com- 
munal houses,  in  good  condition  and  but 
little  excavated. 
One  of  the  most  noted  redwood  groves  in 
California,    and    was    donated    by    Hon. 
William   Kent,  ex-Member   of  Congress. 
Located  7  miles  from  San  Francisco. 
Many  spirelike  rock  formations,  600  to  1,000 

Natural  bridges  (1908)  

Lewis    and    Clark    Cavern2 
(1908). 

Tumacacori  (tu-ma-ka'k6-r6) 

Utah  

Montana  
Arizona  

12,740 

160 
•    10 

feet  high,  visible  many  miles;  also  numer- 
ous caves,  and  other  formations. 
3  natural  bridges,  among  largest  examples  of 
their  kind  .    Largest  bridge  is  222  feet  high, 
65  feet  thick  at  top  of  arch;  arch  is  28  feet 
wide;  span,  261  feet;  height  of  span,  157  feet. 
Other  two  slightly  smaller. 
Immense  limestone  cavern  of  great  scientific 
interest,    magnificently    decorated    with 
stalactite     formations.    Now     closed     to 
public  because  of  depredations  by  vandals. 
Ruin   of   Franciscan   mission   dating  from 

(1908). 

Navajo  (nav'a-ho)  (1909)  

Shoshone  Cavern  (sh6-sh6-ne> 
(1909). 
Gran  Quivira  (granke-ve'ra) 
(1909). 

Sitka  (1910)  

....do  
Wyoming  
New  Mexico... 

Alaska  

360 
210 
560 

!57 

seventeenth  century.    Being  restored  bv 
National  Park  Service  as  rapidly  as  limited 
funds  permit. 
Numerous  pueblo,  or  cliff-dweller  ruins,  in 
good  preservation. 
Cavern  of  considerable  extent,  near  Cody. 

One  of  the  most  important  of  earliest  Spanish 
mission  ruins  in  the  Southwest.    Monu- 
ment also  contains  Pueblo  ruins. 
Park  of  great  natural  beauty,  and  historic 

Rainbow  Bridge  (1910)  

Utah  

160 

interest  as  scene  of  massacre  of  Russians  by 
Indians.    Contains  16  totem  poles  of  best 
native  workmanship. 
Unique  natural   bridge   of  great   scientific 

Colorado  (1911)  

Papago  Saguaro  (pa'pa-g6-sa- 
gwa'ro)  (1914). 

Dinosaur  (di'no-s6r)  (1915).... 

Capulin  Mountain(kap'u-lm) 
(1916). 
Verendrye  (v6r-r6n-dre)  (1917) 

Casa  Grande  (ka'sa  gran'da)  3 
(1918). 

Katmai  (kat'ml)  (1918)  
Scotts  Bluft  (1919)  

Colorado  
Arizona  

Utah  

New  Mexico... 
North  Dakota.. 

Arizona  
Alaska  
Nebraska  

2,050 

80 
681 
253.04 

480 
1  1,088,000 
2,  053.  83 

interest  and  symmetry.    Height  309  feet 
above  water,  and  span  is  278  feet,  in  shape 
of  rainbow. 
Many  lofty  monoliths,  and  is  wonderful  ex- 
ample of  erosion,  and  of  great  scenic  beauty 
and  interest. 
Splendid  collection  of  characteristic  desert 
flora  and  numerous  pictographs.    Interest- 
ing rock  formations. 
Deposits  of  fossil  remains  of  prehistoric  ani- 
mal life  of  great  scientific  interest. 
Cinder  cone  of  geologically  recent  formation. 

Includes  Crowhigh  Butte,  peculiar  mountain 
formation,  from  which  Explorer  Verendrve 
first    beheld    territory    beyond    Missouri 
River. 
These  ruins  are  one  of  the  most  noteworthy 
relics  of  a  preiiistoric  age  and  people  within 
the  limits  of  the  United  States.    Discover- 
ed in  ruinous  condition  in  1694. 
Wonderland  of  great  scientific  interest  in  the 
study    of    volcanism.    Phenomena    exist 
upon  a  scale  ol  great  magnitude.    Includes 
"Valley  of  Ten  Thousand  Smokes.  " 
Region  of  historic  and  scientific  interest. 

Yucca  House  (yflc'ca)  (1919). 

Colorado  

9.6 

Many  famous  old  trails,  traversed  by  the 
early  pioneers  in  the  winning  of  the  west, 
passed  over  and  through  this  monument. 
Located  on  eastern  slope   of  Sleeping  Ute 
Mountain.    Ruins  of  great  archtcologica] 
value,  relic  of  prehistoric  inhabitants. 

i  Estimated.  2  Donated  to  the  United  States . 

3  From  Mar.  2,  1889,  until  Aug.  3, 1918,  classified  as  a  National  Park. 


CONTENTS. 


Page. 

The  national  monuments 2 

Introduction 5 

Bird  life  of  the  Papago  Saguaro  National  Monument  contrasted  with 

that  of  the  adjoining  cultivated  regions 11 

Birds  of  the  giant  cactus 13 

Birds  of  Roosevelt  Lake  and  the  Tonto  National  Monument 15 

Birds  of  the  Sierra  Ancha 21 

General  accounts  of  some  birds  of  the  region 27 

Palmer   thrasher 27 

Cactus    wren 29 

Verdin 31 

Western  kingbird 32 

Dwarf  cowbird 33 

Desert    sparrow 34 

Phainopepla 35 

Zone-tailed  hawk 36 

Texas  nighthawk 38 

Arizona  crested  flycatcher 39 

Desert  quail 40 

White-winged    dove 41 

Inca    dove 43 

Mearns  gilded  flicker 45 

Gila   woodpecker 48 

Farallon    cormorant 52 

Pallid  great  blue  heron 53 

Black-crowned  night  heron 54 

Birds  seen  on  Papago   Saguaro  National  Monument,  Ariz.,  May  30  to 

June  4,   1917 54 

Birds  seen  at  and  near  Ternpe,  May  30  to  June  4,  1917 55 

Birds  seen  in  vicinity  of  Roosevelt  Lake,  June  5  to  11  and  July  2  to  5, 

1917 , 56 

Birds  seen  in  the  Sierra  Ancha,  June  11  to  July  2,  1917 57 

Birds  seen  at  Globe,  July  5  to  7,  1917 _*_ 58 

Index 61 

3 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Page. 
Figure        1.  Map   showing   location    of   the   Papago   Saguaro    National 

Monument 5 

Plate          I.  General   view   over   the   Papago   Saguaro   National   Monu- 
ment           12 

II.  Giant  Cactus  or  Saguaro,  Papago  Saguaro  National  Monu- 
ment           14 

III.  A.  Looking  eastward  from  forested  summit  of  the  Sierra 

Ancha ;  B.  Roosevelt  Lake,  the  Sierra  Ancha  in  the  dis- 
tance           22 

IV.  A.  Sierra  Ancha,  looking  northward  from  the  divide  near 

Roosevelt  Lake;  B.  Sierra  Ancha,  looking  southeastward 

from  the  divide 23 

V.  Location  of  nest  of  the  painted  redstart ;  Sierra  Ancha 26 

VI.  Closer  view  of  the  painted  redstart's  nest 27 

VII.  A.  Plumbeous  gnatcatcher  on  nest ;  B.  Male  Gila  woodpecker.         48 
VIII.  A.  Nest  with  five  eggs  of  Gila  woodpecker  in  giant  cactus; 

B.  Nesting  colony  of  Farallon  cormorant 52 

4 


INTRODUCTION. 

A  few  miles  east  of  Phoenix,  Arizona,  between  that  city  and  the 
village  of  Tempe,  lies  the  Papago  Saguaro  National  Monument,  a 
tract  of  land  set  aside  primarily  to  conserve  certain  types  of  desert 
vegetation  in  a  region  that  is  rapidly  changing  in*  appearance 
through  increased  cultivation  of  the  soil.  Some  80  miles  from 
Phoenix,  to  the  northeast,  is  the  Tonto  National  Monument,  contain- 
ing two  groups  of  cliff  dwellings;  and  adjoining  the  latter  is  the 


FIG.  1. — Map  showing  location  of  the  Papago  Saguaro  National  Monument. 

Roosevelt  Bird  Reservation,  encircling  the  shores  of  Roosevelt  Lake. 
These  several  points  are  linked  together  by  the  scenic  highway  known 
as  "  the  Apache  Trail,"  a  road  extending  between  Phoenix  and  Globe. 
The  purpose  of  the  present  publication  is  to  direct  attention  to 
some  of  the  interesting  features  of  the  bird  life  of  this  region — a 
section  which,  although  attracting  increasing  numbers  of  visitors 
each  year,  has  not  generally  been  regarded  as  including  many  bird 
species  among  its  attractions.  This  report  is  not  presented  as  a 

5 


6  INTRODUCTION. 

"  complete  "  account  of  the  birds  of  this  part  of  Arizona,  but  rather 
as  an  outline,  partly  filled  in,  of  one  phase  of  the  subject,  treating 
primarily  of  tjie  breeding  species.  It  is  based  upon  a  trip  of  six 
weeks'  duration  made  by  the  writer  during  the  summer  of  1917 
under  the  auspices  of  the  California  Museum  of  Vertebrate  Zoology, 
a  trip  made  possible  through  the  interest  of  Mr.  E.  O.  McCormick, 
of  San  Francisco.  The  itinerary  was  as  follows :  Phoenix,  May  29 ; 
Tempe,  May  29  to  June  5;  Roosevelt,  June  5  to  11,  July  2  to  5; 
Sierra  Ancha,  June  11  to  July  2;  Globe,  July  5  to  7. 

About  Tempe  trips  were  made  over  the  Papago  Saguaro  Monu- 
ment, in  the  willow  bottoms  of  the  Salt  River  for  several  miles  east 
of  the  town,  and  through  a  portion  of  the  farming  section  for  some 
4  or  5  miles  south  of  town.  At  Roosevelt,  with  headquarters  at 
"  The  Lodge,"  excursions  were  made  on  foot  as  far  as  the  cliff  dwell- 
ings of  the  Tonto  National  Monument,  some  5  miles  from  the  hotel 
on  the  Salt  River  branch  of  the  lake,  and  for  several  miles  up  the 
Tonto  Creek  arm.  Trips  by  motor  boat  were  also  taken,  on  one  %of 
which  a  visit  was  made  to  a  breeding  colony  of  water  birds  near  the 
mouth  of  Tonto  Creek.  In  the  Sierra  Ancha  I  stayed  at  the  ranch 
of  Mr.  John  C.  Carr.  This  lies  some  20  miles  from  the  ferry  at 
the  south  end  of  the  lake,  is  on  the  main  road  through  the  moun- 
tains, and  about  3  miles  north  of  the  divide,  at  an  altitude  of  5,410 
feet.  From  this  point  I  was  able  to  make  trips  as  far  as  the  summit 
of  Aztec  Peak  (7,500  feet)  and  to  the  heads  oi  certain  of  the  canyons 
on  the  northeast  slope.  The  birds  recorded  from  Globe  were  ob- 
served on  several  trips,  some  on  foot  and  some  by  rig,  along  roads 
within  a  radius  of  4  or  5  miles  from  the  town. 

As  observations  were  made  during  the  nesting  season,  the  birds 
seen  were,  with  few  exceptions,  those  that  breed  in  the  places  where 
they  were  found.  One  hundred  and  ten  species  of  birds  were  noted, 
nearly  a  third  of  the  total  number  (375)  known  to  inhabit  Arizona. 
This  is  probably  a  fairly  complete  list  of  the  summer  birds  of  this 
section,  though  there  are  a  few  species  (the  elf  owl  and  ferruginous 
pigmy  owl,  for  example)  that  certainly  do  occur  here,  but  that  were 
not  encountered  by  the  writer.  Two  species  were  added  to  the  list  of 
birds  of  Arizona  as  a  result  of  the  trip.  One  is  the  indigo  bunting 
(Passerina  cyanea) ,  of  which  an  adult  male  was  secured  June  30  at 
Carr's  Ranch,  in  the  Sierra  Ancha.  The  second  species  is  the 
Bendire  crossbill  (Loxia  curvirostra  bendirei),  of  which  two  females 
were  taken  June  16,  also  at  Carr's  Ranch.  While  the  list  of  species 
here  given  is  believed  to  be  fairly  complete  as  regards  summer  birds, 
there  are,  of  course,  many  additional  species  to  be  looked  for  during 
the  periods  of  migration  in  spring  and  fall.  There  is  a  still  different 
aggregation  composed  of  winter  visitants. 


INTRODUCTION.  7 

It  is  not  possible  to  give  here  exhaustive  accounts  of  all  the  species 
encountered,  but  a  selection  has  been  made  of  those  especially  con- 
spicuous or  noteworthy,  and  of  these  certain  phases  of  their  life  his- 
tory are  detailed  at  some  length.  There  has  been  no  attempt  at  uni- 
formity in  these  sketches ;  they  are  merely  presentations  of  the  several 
species  in  the  manner  in  which  they  are  most  apt  to  be  encountered. 
The  brief  paragraphs  entitled  "  recognition  marks  "  aim  to  give  cer- 
tain conspicuous  features  by  which  the  birds  may  be  recognized  in 
life.  The  nominal  lists  of  species  from  various  localities  serve  to 
enumerate  those  birds  actually  observed  by  the  writer  at  the  several 
points  indicated. 

To  the  amateur  student  of  birds  visiting  the  region  here  treated  it 
is  suggested  that,  together  with  the  present  publication,  use  be  made 
of  Bailey's  Handbook  of  Birds  of  the  Western  United  States 
(Houghton  Mifflin  Co.,  publishers)  and  Swarth's  Distributional  List 
of  the  Birds  of  Arizona  (Cooper  Ornithological  Club,  Hollywood, 
Calif.).  The  former,  w,ith  its  detailed  descriptions  and  numerous 
illustrations,  will  serve  to  identify  the  species  encountered ;  the  latter 
lists  the  birds  of  the  State  with  the  manner  of  their  occurrence,  and 
also  contains  an  exhaustive  bibliography  of  the  literature  pertaining 
to  the  ornithology  of  Arizona. 

In  the  following  pages  the  names  of  birds  used  are  those  found 
in  the  American  Ornithologists'  Union  Check-List  of  North  Ameri- 
can Birds  (1910  edition)  with  the  one  supplement  since  added  (1912), 
or,  where  there  is  variation  from  this  standard,  the  names  used  are 
from  Swarth's  Distributional  List  of  the  Birds  of  Arizona.  A  single 
exception  to  this  rule  occurs  in  the  Bendire  crossbill  (Loxia  curvi- 
rostra,  bendirei).  In  the  Check-List  this  species  is  included  under 
Loxia  c.  minor.  It  does  not  appear  in  the  Distributional  List  of  the 
Birds  of  Arizona,  as  it  was  not  known  to  occur  in  the  State  when  the 
latter  was  published.  As  an  easily  recognizable  subspecies  it  is  en- 
titled to  the  nomenclatural  recognition  here  accorded  the  race. 

The  very  name  of  the  Apache  Trail  carries  with  it  a  suggestion 
of  the  romance  of  the  country  the  road  traverses,  while  the  history 
of  the  highway  itself  is  an  epitome  of  the  story  of  the  State  of 
Arizona.  The  road,  prosaically  built  to  meet  modern  needs  in  the 
construction  of  Roosevelt  Dam,  completed  by  the  Government  in 
1911,  follows  the  ages-old  trail  of  the  Apache  Indian,  a  well-worn 
pathway  from  the  barren  and  forbidding  mountain  fastnesses  in 
which  he  made  his  home,  to  the  valley  below,  where  he  found  his 
accustomed  prey.  With  the  completion  of  the  dam  the  prime  need 
of  the  road's  existence  ceased  to  be,  but  in  it  there  was  left  to  the 
State — a  by-product  of  the  reclamation  project,  as  it  were — a  scenic 
highway  of  unrivaled  attraction.  As  such  it  is  bound  to  draw  in- 


8  INTRODUCTION. 

creasing  admiration  and  use.  Other  States  also  have  their  high- 
ways, more  or  less  illustrative  of  the  Commonwealths  which  they 
traverse,  but  it  is  doubtful  if  another  stretch  of  road  of  similar 
length  could  be  found  displaying  so  perfectly  such  a  varied  array 
of  natural  features  and  industries  —  a  cross  section  of  the  State,  so 
to  speak,  and  a  synopsis  of  its  characteristics. 

From  Phoenix  to  Roosevelt,  80  miles,  and  from  Roosevelt  to  Globe, 
40  miles,  the  Apache  Trail  cuts  through  the  center  of  Arizona.  Fol- 
lowing its  course  we  find  the  modern  city  of  Phoenix,  with  the  highly 
cultivated  farm  lands  of  the  valley  about  Tempe  and  Mesa,  in  close 
proximity  to  primitive  desert,  as  illustrated  in  the  Papago  Saguaro 
National  Monument;  barren  rocky  hills  hemming  in  lake  and  river; 
pine-clad  mountains  looking  down  upon  cactus-covered  valleys  be- 
low ;  and  farms,  cattle  ranges,  and  mines  all  displayed  to  the  traveler 
on  the  biggest  possible  scale. 

In  the  background  is  the  Apache  Indian  of  the  San  Carlos  Reser- 
vation, a  quiet  spectator  now,  his  previous  activities  having  met  with 
disapproval,  and  behind  him  are  the  brooding  structures  of  the  cliff 
dwellers,  striving  to  tell  a  tale  that  no  one  has  as  yet  interpreted. 

Just  as  this  highway  gives  to  the  passing  tourist  a  general  concep- 
tion of  the  various  human  interests  and  natural  features  of  Arizona, 
so,  to  the  student  of  birds,  is  offered  an  outline  inclusive  of  most  of  the 
features  of  the  avifauna  of  the  entire  State.  The  ornithologist  trav- 
ersing the  region  should  do  so  with  the  following  points  in  mind  : 

1.  For  its  entire  length  the  Apache.  Trail  passes  through  the  type 
of  .country  that  geographers  term  the  Lower  Sonoran  Zone,  ;which 
includes  all  the  low  hot  valleys  of  Arizona.    The  hills  about  Roose- 
velt and  Globe  appear  to  be  at  the  extreme  upper  limit  of  this  di- 
vision, but,  except  for  a  few  species  encountered  at  these  points,  the 
birds  of  the  Apache  Trail  belong  to  the  highly  characteristic  avifauna 
of  the  Lower  Sonoran  southwestern  deserts. 

2.  There  is  a/pliFficTrta^lyinteresting  subdivision  of  this  zone  con- 
stituted by  the  giant  cactus  association  ;  and  growths  of  giant  cactus 
possess  a  pecuU^r^group  oPbirds  which  go  with  it  over  most  of  the 
trail. 

3.  About  Phoenix  and  Tempe  may  be  observed  in  sharp  contrast  the 
original  desert  avifauna  and  the  very  different  bird  life  that  has 
come  with  farming  and  all  that  is  implied  in  extensive  irrigation. 

4.  Just  north  of  Roosevelt  Lake  are  the  Sierra  Ancha,  rising  to  a 
height  of  about  7,500  feet  and  within  easy  reach  for  those 


to  devote  a  few^days-krar^ftekririp.    Here,  amid  forest^  of  yellow  pii 
marking  the^Transition  Zonefhiay  be  observed  an  asserhldage£f  birdsj 
differing  as  wlttely^romthat  of  the  valley  15  miles  away  as 


INTRODUCTION.  9 

birds  of  Maine  from  those  of  Florida.  Hardly  a  species  will  be  seen 
that  occurs  in  both  places. 

5.  Southern  Arizona  is  characterized  by  certain  Mexican  species  of 
birds,  some  of  which  barely  cross  the  boundary  line,  while  others 
extend  somewhat  farther  north.  These  for  the  most  part  are  not 
birds  of  the  low,  hot  valleys,  as  might  be  supposed,  but  species  of  the 
central  plateau  region  of  Mexico.  In  Arizona  they  are  inhabitants 
of  the  higher  mountains,  and  the  Sierra  Ancha  is  at  nearly  the 
northern  extreme  reached  by  any  of  these  birds. 

At  the  eastern  approach  to  the  Apache  Trail,  in  the  vicinity  of 
Bowie,  the  train  passes  through  country  of  a  different  character  from 
other  parts  of  the  State.  Here  are  long  stretches  of  grassland,  dotted 
with  yuccas,  and  in  places  extensively  grown  up  with  scattered  mes- 
quite  thickets,  totally  unlike  the  cactus-covered  desert  a  little  farther 
to  the  westward.  This  southeastern  corner  of  Arizona  possesses  an 
avifauna  that  is  quite  distinctive,  as  compared  with  the  rest  of  the 
State,  and  the  traveler  has  an  opportunity  of  seeing  from  the  train 
a  few  of  the  more  conspicuous  species.  He  is  sure  to  encounter  flocks 
of  the  white-necked  raven  and  an  occasional  Swainson  hawk,  common 
in  this  eastern  region,  but  not  apt  to  be  seen  over  the  Apache 
Trail  proper. 


BIRD  LIFE  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGUARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT 
CONTRASTED  WITH  THAT  OF  THE  ADJOINING  CULTIVATED 
REGIONS. 

The  bird  student  contemplating  a  trip  over  the  Apache  Trail 
should  plan  to  spend  several  days  in  the  region  about  Phoenix  and 
Tempe,  for  here  better  than  anywhere  else  in  the  State  can  be  con- 
trasted the  faunas  of  the  desert  and  of  the  irrigated  farm  land,  side 
by  side. 

For  a  study  of  desert  birds  no  more  accessible  place  could  be  found 
than  the  Papago  Saguaro  National  Monument,  on  the  highway  be- 
tween Phoenix  and  Tempe.  This  is  a  tract  of  approximately  2,000 
acres  of  desert  land,  about  9  miles  east  of  Phoenix  and  3  miles  from 
Tempe.  It  is  a  rolling  mesa,  of  gravelly  or  rocky  soil,  traversed  by  a 
ridge  of  hills,  rising  200  or  300  feet  above  the  level  of  the  surrounding 
desert.  The  plant  growth  is  typical  sparse  desert  vegetation,--s»€h\as 
occurs  over  vast  stretches  of  southern  Arizona.  (Giant  cactus/is 
evenly,  though  not  thickly,  distributed-^veFthe  whole~~area.  Every- 
where there  aye  clumps  of  "^nolla  "  cactus,  lo/ally  known  as  "  jump- 
ing cactus,'^*  peculiarly  diabbiicaLs^pt'Wtrose  thorns  penetrate-afc-the* 
Such.  The  local  name  is  derived  from  the  ease  with  which 
sections  break  off  and  adhere  to  whatever  brushes  against  them,  no 
matter  how  lightly;  the  thorny  joints  give  the  impressJolTofactuali] 
leaping  at  J&e-passey .  Here  and  there  are  le 

md  in  the  sandy  washes  thickets 
*The  most  generally  prevalent  plant  Ts({he  creosote 
rounded  bushes  of  dark  green  hue,  scattered 
formly  over  even  the  most  unprepossessing  sections.  Many 
gravelly  ridges  are  grown  up  with  this  plant  to  the  exclusion  of  prac- 
tically everything  else.  Along  the  canal  which  crossesj;he  Monument, 
seepage  of  water  has  produced  limited  growths  of  arrow  weedyand 


[nthe  rocky  hills  of  the  central  ridge  numerous  caves  have  been 
worn  by  the  elements,  in  one  place  an  opening  extending  clear  through 
the  hill.  This  aperture,  known  locally  as  "  Hole-in-the-rock,"  is  about 
15  feet  high  and  25  feet  long,  with  a  broad  approach  at  either  side. 
It  is  used  as  a  picnic  ground  by  the  people  of  Phoenix  and  Tempe. 

The  bird  life  of  the  Papago  Saguaro  Monument  is  that  of  the  desert 
purely,  and  as  such  must  not  be  judged  by  the  same  standards  that 
would  be  applied  to  some  other  sections.  A  fairly  long  list  of 
species  may  be  confidently  expected,  but  as  a  rule  there  is  not  an 

11 


12          BIRDS  OF  THE  PAP  AGO  SAGUARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT. 

abundance  of  individuals.  Birds  are  not  as  numerous  as,  for  ex- 
ample, they  are  in  the  willow  thickets  of  a  river  bottom,  or  in  some 
other  such  place  where  there  is  food  and  shelter  for  numbers. 

On  the  desert  plains  the  first  impression  is  of  a  total  absence  of 
birds.  Then,  one  by  one,  species  come  to  view,  until  at  the  end  of 
several  hours'  observation  a  list  of  surprising  length  will  have  been 
drawn  up.  Quite  surely  among  the  first  will  be  the  Palmer  thrasher. 
As  likely  as  not  the  shrill  whistle  of  one  of  these  birds  will  bring 
the  observer  up  shortly,  with  a  panicky  feeling  that  the  sound  is 
a  warning  against  trespass.  It  is  a  very  human  note;  as  though 
the  whistler  were  deeply  annoyed,  and  had  the  power  and  full 
intention  of  making  his  resentment  felt. 

Standing  beside  a  giant  cactus,  trying  vainly  to  derive  some  com- 
fort from  its  slender  strip  of  shade,  one  becomes  conscious  of  a  con- 
tinuous hissing  emerging  from  within  the  trunk.  There  is  nothing 
to  be  seen,  but  presently  a  gilded  flicker  appears,  flying  from  a 
distance,  and,  if  not  too  much  startled  by  the  intruder,  disappears 
within  some  one  of  the  several  holes  in  sight,  and  the  hissing  vastly 
augments. 

Then  a  couple  of  Arizona  crested  flycatchers  may  appear,  squab- 
bling riotously  over  the  bushes.  In  following  them  a  brood  of 
full-fledged  cactus  wrens  is  flushed  from  a  clump  of  cholla  cactus, 
and  these  disperse  in  characteristic  swooping  flight,  skimming  close 
over  the  ground.  A  passing  white-winged  dove  halts  his  flight  and 
alights  upon  the  top  of  a  tall  saguaro,  apparently  for  the  sole  pur- 
pose of  delivering  his  complicated  cooing,  for  he  departs  as  soon 
as  this  rite  is  finished.  Altogether,  one  presently  discovers  that  a 
rather  surprisingly  large  number  of  birds  has  been  observed. 

There  are  many  places  in  the  Salt  River  Valley  where  the  contrast- 
ing pictures  of  desert  and  farm  lands  can  be  viewed  side  by  side, 
separated,  perhaps,  merely  by  the  width  of  an  irrigation  canal.  The 
transformation  is  startling  and  no  less  complete  in  the  bird  life  than 
it  is  in  the  vegetation. 

A  writer  in  Motor  West  (vol.  XXVII,  July,  1917,  p.  10),  describ- 
ing an  auto  tour  through  Arizona,  words  his  impression  of  the  change 
in  phrases  so  happily  chosen  that  I  can  not  do  better  than  insert  them 
here: 

Then,  all  at  once,  a  transformation  so  wonderful  that  it  is  still  hard  to  be- 
lieve. We  crossed  a  wide  irrigation  canal,  whose  still-flowing  waters  reflected 
the  red  evening  sky.  It  might  have  been  a  magic  moat  whose  waters  the  evil 
spirits  of  the  desert  could  not  cross;  for  here  was  no  desert  road,  but  a  lane 
of  arching  cottonwoods,  with  fields  of  alfalfa  on  either  side,  vine-covered  farm- 
houses, sleek  cattle  in  the  fields,  and  the  smell  of  newly  cut  hay  instead  of 
choking  dust.  And  out  of  the  green  wall  of  the  cottonwoods  came  a  perfect 
ecstasy  of  song  from  orioles  and  redwing  blackbirds,  rejoicing  over  the  victory 
man  had  won  over  the  desert.  Republics  may  be  ungrateful  toward  the  men 


BIRDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGUARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT.         13 

who  fight  their  battles  and  tame  their  wildernesses,  but,  rest  assured,  the  birds 
are  not.  If  the  engineers  and  the  builders  who  toiled  for  years  under  the  desert 
sun  on  the  Roosevelt  Dam  ever  want  to  hear  really  adequate  praise  for  their 
achievement,  let  them  ride  as  we  did  down  that  road  into  Phoenix  at  sundown 
and  hear  the  birds'  opinion  of  it. 

There  is  this  to  be  said,  however,  as  regards  the  vociferous  rejoic- 
ing of  the  birds  anent  the  victory  of  the  waters  over  the  desert.  There 
is  no  question  as  to  the  greatly  augmented  avian  population,  for  the 
birds  are  there,  conspicuous  to  eye  and  ear,  and  unmistakably  flourish- 
ing as  one  result  of  this  taming  of  the  wilderness.  But,  on  second 
thought,  realization  comes  that  these  loud-voiced  proclaimers  of  their 
happiness  are  not  the  original  dwellers  of  the  land,  exulting  in  their 
improved  condition  and  environment,  but  rather  are  they  upstart 
newcomers,  "  nesters  "  who  have  entirely  replaced  the  old-time  dwell- 
ers of  the  open  range. 

Thrashers  of  several  species,  verdin,  desert  sparrow,  plumbeous 
gnatcatcher,  gilded  flicker,  and  their  ilk,  too  conservative  to  be  con- 
tent far  from  their  thorny  desert,  have  withdrawn  from  those  sec- 
tions where  green  alfalfa  and  cotton  has  replaced  mesquite,  cholla, 
and  creosote  bush,  and  their  places  are  taken  by  blackbirds,  orioles, 
meadowlark,  and  kingbird;  natives  of  Arizona,  it  is  true,  but 
formerly  restricted  to  limited  areas,  mostly  along  the  river  beds. 

There  are  a  few  species  that  have,  to  a  certain  extent,  been  able 
to  adapt  themselves  to  nejssr  «ondit«5fcs.  The  Gila  woodpecker  finds 
himself  satisfied  with  t^ie  cottonwoodjtrees  which  farmers  plant  for 
shade  or  ornament.  The""Cft£tus  wjen  appears  to  be  more  adaptable 
than  I  had  given  him  credit  for,  certainly  far  more  so  here  than  he 
has  been  in  California,  and  was  seen  frequenting  brush  piles  or 
gardens,  where  there  was  cultivated  ground  on  all  sides. 

The  net  result  of  the  cultivation  of  the  valleys  is,  quite  evidently, 
a  vastly  augmented  bird  population  as  regards  number  of  indi- 
viduals. There  is  no  greater  number  of  species  than  before,  but  the 
proportions  are  different.  It  is  a  replacement  of  one  type  of  native 
fauna  by  another,  not  an  increased  number  of  the  original  inhab- 
itants. For  the  most  part,  birds  whose  whole  organism  is  adapted 
to  existence  in  the  hot,  dry  desert,  amidst  thorn  bushes  and  cactus, 
can  not  at  once  change  to  life  amidst  greenery,  shade,  and  abundant 
water.  It  is,  perhaps,  well  for  the  farmer  that  they  can  not,  for  a 
few  desert  species  wrhich  have  tentatively  sampled  some  of  the  re- 
sults of  civilization,  as  exemplified  in  vegetable  gardens  and  fruit 
trees,  are  already  being  complained  of  in  some  quarters. 

BIRDS  OF  THE  GIANT  CACTUS. 

To  the  visitor  from  other  sections  of  the  country,  entering  Arizona 
for  the  first  time,  there  is  probably  no  feature  of  the  unfamiliar 


14          BIRDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGUARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT. 

landscape  that  is  more  impressive  than  the  giant  cactus.  The  great 
size  of  this  plant  gives  it  rank  among  its  kind  comparable  to  the 
sequoia  among  forest  trees,  while  in  appearance  it  seems  like  a 
weird  intruder  from  another  world  or  another  epoch,  among  normal 
and  ordinary  types  of  vegetation.  To  the  botanist  the  giant  cactus 
presents  its  own  problems,  comprising  peculiarities  of  distribution, 
growth,  and  habits,  difficult  to  understand  and  fascinating  in  their 
complexity.  To  the  student  of  birds  it  also  makes  _an  appeal,  for, 
aside  from  the  pleasure  afforded  from  working  amidst  such  pictur- 
esque surroundings,  the  groves  of  giant  cactus  possess  an  assemblage 
of  bird  species  found  practically  nowhere  else. 

On  the  desert,  otherwise  a  land  of  low  shrubs  and  bushes,  this 
towering  cactus  takes  the  place  of  trees,  at  least  as  regards  the  needs 
of  birds  that  dwell  in  hollows  of  tree  trunks.  Consequently,  in  those 
sections  of  the  country  where  it  grows,  we  find  a  peculiar  group  of 
birds,  desert  species  purely,  but  prototypes  of  woods-dwelling  forms 
of  other  sections.  With  them  there  are  associated  certain  species 
which  elsewhere  occupy  woodland,  and  which  here  find  suitable  nest- 
ing sites  within  the  cactus  or  in  the  crotches  of  its  branching  arms. 

Following  are  the  birds  forming  the  "  giant  cactus  association " 
in  Arizona — that  is,  those  species  whose  occurence  in  a  region  is  de- 
pendent'^iilirely^ej:  in  large  part,  upon  the  presence  of  the  cactus: 
Saguaro  screech  owl^elf  owl,  Gila  woodpecker,  Mearns  gilded  flicker, 
anaA-riaeftarcTested  flycatcher.  With  these  are  often  associated 
other  birds  who  gladly  take  advantage  of  nesting  sites  in  or  upon  the 
cactus,  but  which  also  occur  in  woode^secjions^in  other  parts  of  the 
country.  These  ttreT—Western (red^tailed  h^wi,  Swainson  hawk, 
America^  sparrow  hawk\  wesrem^horned  owl,  ash-throated  fly- 
catcher, purple-  martin,-  -and  touse  fincfn  tT/nave  even  found  the 
mourning  dove  sitting  upon  eggs4n_a_g.gug^d-out  cavity  in  the  side 
of  a  S«gliartxtrunk. 

The  elf  owl,Vilded  flicker,  and  Arizona  crested  flycatcher  may  oc- 
casionally bejfound  nesting  in  holes  in  trees  where  such  occur  near 
the  gianTcactus,  but  it  is  useless  to  look  for  them  in  sections  of  the 
country  where  the  cactus  does  not  also  grow.  So  closely  are  these 
species  confined  to  the  neighborhood  of  the  giant  cactus  that  they 
appear  to  have  been  evolved  in  direct  response  to  the  opportunities 
afforded  by  this  plant  to  these  types  of  birds.  In  other  words,  to 
put  it  baldly,  here  were  niches,  to  be  filled  in  by  a  hole-dwelling  owl, 
woodpecker,  and  flycatcher — opportunities  not  found  elsewhere 
in  these  desert  countries,  and  promptly  taken  advantage  of  by  types 
of  birds  which  in  other  sections  would  find  suitable  homes  in  the 
timber.  The  sparrow  hawk  and  purple  martin  utilize  holes  in  the 
cactus  as  they  would  in  trees  or  buildings.  The  cactus  wren  some- 


GIANT  CACTUS  OR  SAGUARO.     PAPAGO  SAGUARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT. 

The  giant  cactus  is  a  conspicuous  feature  of  the  landscape  over  much  of  southern  Arizona. 
In  the  absence  of  trees  it  is  used  for  nesting  purposes  by  woodpeckers  and  other  hole- 
dwelling  birds.  The  fruit,  seen  growing  at  the  ends  of  the  arms,  is  eaten  by  many  species 
of  birds. 


BIRDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGUARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT.         15 

times  builds  its  nest  among  the  arms  of  the  cactus,  but  it  usually 
prefers  a  lower  situation. 

We  thus  find  here  examples  of  hole-dwelling  hawk,  owl,  wood- 
pecker, flycatcher,  and  swallow,  widely  different  birds,  alike  only  in 
their  choice  of  nesting  sites.  It  is  curious  that  the  desert  should 
also  contain  one  species  belonging  to  a  family  that  elsewhere  breeds 
almost  exclusively  in  cavities,  but  which  here  does  not  follow  the 
traditions  of  the  race.  This  is  the  verdin,  a  titmouse — dwellers  in 
holes  the  world  over,  almost — but  an  accomplished  architect,  who 
by  reason  of  his  talents  finds  no  need  of  crawling  into  a  hole  for  pro- 
tection. 

The  labor  of  excavating  the  nesting  holes  must  necessarily  fall 
entirely  upon  the  gilded  flicker  and  Gila  woodpecker,  probably  upon 
the  former  for  the  most  part ;  for  these  are  the  only  birds  with  the 
skill  and  equipment  for  such  labors.  Do  these  woodpeckers  of  their 
own  choice  construct  new  dwellings  year  after  year,  leaving  last 
year's  homes  to  their  unskilled  neighbors,  or  are  they  unfortunate 
drudges,  frequently  compelled  by  more  belligerent  associates  to  aban- 
don their  completed  work?  However  this  may  be,  the  exigencies 
of  the  situation  frequently  bring  about  an  apartment-house-like 
condition,  with  several  diverse  tenants  living  in  close  proximity,  one 
above  the  other. 

It  will  readily  be  seen  in  how  many  respects  the  birds  of  the  giant 
cactus  afford  attractions  for  the  bird  student.  Some  of  the  species 
are  to  be  found  nowhere  save  in  the  vicinity  of  this  plant,  and  all 
have  peculiarities  of  appearance  or  habits  well  worth  special  study. 
The  Apache  Trail,  in  sight  of  giant  cactus  for  nearly  its  entire 
length,  and  passing  in  places  through  as  fine  growths  of  the  plant 
as  are  to  be  found  anywhere,  affords  excellent  opportunities  for 
observation  of  these  species.  Among  the  birds  of  this  region  are  all 
the  species  of  the  "  giant  cactus  association  " ;  besides  these  there  are 
many  of  the  birds  that  occur  on  the  Arizona  deserts  elsewhere 
than  in  the  vicinity  of  this  plant. 

BIRDS  OF  ROOSEVELT  LAKE  AND  THE  TONTO  NATIONAL 
MONUMENT.1 

Roosevelt  Lake  is  the  name  given  the  body  of  water  that  has 
resulted  from  the  damming  of  the  Salt  River.  The  two  arms  of  the 
lake,  formed  by  the  Salt  and  Tonto  Rivers,  respectively,  extend  each 
about  15  miles  from  the  dam.  The  width  varies  from  a  half  mile 
to  about  3  miles,  the  general  effect  being  of  a  long,  sinuous  body  of 
water,  indented  at  various  points  by  jutting  peninsulas.  The  narrows 
of  Salt  River  Canyon,  the  site  of  Roosevelt  Dam,  are  hemmed  in  by 
towering  cliffs,  while  along  the  shores  of  the  lake  for  some  2  miles 

1  Tonto  National  Monument  administered  by  the  Department  of  Agriculture. 


16          BIRDS  OF  THE  PAP  AGO  SAGTJAEO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT. 

above  the  clam  the  inclosing  mountains  are  steep  and  precipitous, 
leaving  a  scant  margin  of  room  for  the  road  which  winds  along  the 
water's  edge. 

To  the  student  of  birds  the  lake  makes  an  especial  appeal  as  the  site 
of  the  Salt  Eiver  bird  reservation,  established  by  the  Federal  Gov- 
ernment in  1909,  a  sanctuary  wherein  the  birds  are  safe  from  human 
molestation.  This  includes  a  narrow  strip  of  land  around  the  lake, 
immediately  adjoining  the  water.  The  impounding  of  this  immense 
body  of  water  in  a  desert  region  has  made  surprisingly  little  change 
in  the  bird  life  at  this  point.  The  abrupt  mountain  sides  flanking  the 
two  former  valleys  of  the  Salt  and  the  Tonto  Rivers,  respectively,  and 
now  forming  the  shores  of  the  lake,  are  far  too  steep  and  rocky  to  per- 
mit of  the  establishment  of  growths  of  aquatic  plants  such  as  might 
be  looked  for  in  a  place  of  this  sort,  and  desert  vegetation  persists  to 
the  water's  edge.  The  banks  everywhere  drop  so  abruptly  as  to  leave 
no  stretches  of  shallow  water  to  support  such  growths  as  are  usual 
about  most  lakes,  and  there  are  absolutely  no  nooks  or  inlets  margined 
with  reeds,  grass,  or  willows;  there  is  a  consequent  dearth  of  the 
water-loving  birds  which  customarily  seek  such  places. 

Just  below  the  present  outlets  of  the  Salt  and  Tonto  Rivers  into 
the  lake  there  are  clumps  of  dead  cottonwoods  and  willows,  killed  by 
the  rising  waters,  but  with  their  tops  projecting  above  the  surface 
of  the  lake.  These  tree  tops  have  been  utilized  by  Farallon  cormo- 
rants, pallid  great  blue  herons,  and  black-crowned  night  herons  as 
nesting  sites,  and  there  are  now  thriving  colonies  of  these  three  species 
of  birds  at  these  points.  This  is  the  only  conspicuous  change  in  the 
bird  life  of  the  region  that  has  been  brought  about  by  the  creation  of 
Roosevelt  Lake.  But  one  other  water  bird  was  seen — the  killdeer — 
and  the  numbers  of  these  nesting  about  the  shores  of  the  lake  are 
probably  no  greater  than  the  population  formerly  inhabiting  the 
river  valleys  in  the  same  region  before  the  lake  was  made. 

The  land  birds  afford  the  greatest  interest.  There  is  a  goodly 
variety  of  these,  and  a  greater  number  of  individuals  than  seems 
apparent  at  a  first  inspection  of  the  country. 

The  account  of  one  morning's  observations  will  give  a  fairly  com- 
prehensive idea  of  the  bird  life  existent  about  the  lake ;  for  the  cen- 
sus of  this  one  forenoon  (June  6)  included  41  species  out  of  the  total 
of  52  noted  by  the  writer  about  Roosevelt  Lake.  Some  5  miles  from 
the  hotel,  on  the  south  side  of  the  lake,  is  the  Tonto  National  Monu- 
ment, where  there  is  located  a  cluster  of  cliff  dwellings  visible  from 
the  stage  road  and  relatively  easy  of  access.  This  is  naturally  a 
point  to  which  visitors  are  directed,  and  it  thus  became  the  objective 
of  my  first  morning's  excursion ;  while  an  additional  incentive  lay 
in  the  fact  that  the  road,  skirting  the  shore  of  the  lake,  lies  within 
the  Salt  River  bird  reservation  for  nearly  the  whole  distance. 


BIRDS  OF  THE  PAP  AGO  SAGUARO   NATIONAL  MONUMENT.          17 

The  hotel  stands  upon  a  rocky  point  a  few  hundred  yards  above 
the  dam  on  the  north  shore  of  the  lake.  The  road  leading  to  the 
dam  is  cut  in  the  rocky  slope  of  a  steep  hillside,  but  scantily  covered 
with  vegetation.  However,  despite  the  lack  of  trees  or  bushes,  there 
were  usually  some  birds  to  be  seen  about  the  buildings,  and  that 
morning  I  was  able  to  list  several  species  before  starting  on  my 
walk.  First  of  all  a  canyon  wren  was  heard  singing  from  the  Apache 
village  on  the  hillside  above  the  hotel.  During  the  next  few  days  I 
discovered  this  particular  bird  regularly  haunting  the  hotel  veranda 
in  the  early  mornings,  gleaning  a  breakfast  of  insects  from  beneath 
the  lights,  and  giving  his  striking  song  at  frequent  intervals.  Human 
company  seemed  objectionable  to  Catherpes,  however,  and  upon 
the  appearance  of  people  he  usually  withdrew  to  the  rocky  slopes 
of  the  nearby  hillside.  A  pair  of  house  finches,  or  linnets,  were  in 
evidence,  tending  their  young  in  a  nest  in  the  honeysuckle  climbing 
over  the  veranda.  In  an  elderberry  by  the  dining-room  window  an 
Arizona  least  vireo  was  singing. 

The  walk  of  several  hundred  yards  to  the  dam  disclosed  no  addi- 
tional species,  but  at  the  dam  itself  a  halt  was  made  to  inspect  the 
unique  breeding  colony  of  birds  conspicuously  in  view  there.  Cliff 
swallows  may  have  built  their  nests  on  the  rocky  walls  of  the  canyon 
before  the  dam  was  constructed,  but  this  masonry  was  evidently 
hailed  by  them  as  precisely  what  was  needed,  if  not,  indeed,  placed 
there  for  their  especial  benefit.  There  were  a  few  nests  built  in 
crevices  in  the  rock  on  the  towering  walls  on  either  side,  but  the 
bulk  of  the  colony — 75  pairs  at  the  very  least — had  plastered  their 
mud  homes  on  a  ledge  of  the  dam,  a  long,  single  row  of  nests,  im- 
mediately below  a  line  of  electric  lights.  In  the  full  glare  of  this 
illumination  by  night,  and  with  a  soldier  of  the  United  States  Army 
on  sentry  duty  at  each  end  of  their  community  both  day  and  night 
(for  the  dam  was  carefully  guarded  at  the  time  of  my  visit),  there 
is  probably  no  other  bird  colony  in  the  country,  whether  located 
within  a  Federal  bird  reservation  or  not,  that  is  more  secure  from 
enemies. 

Over  the  spillway  at  the  east  end  of  the  dam  three  pairs  of  white- 
throated  swifts  were  darting  back  and  forth,  of  notably  swifter 
flight  than  the  thronging  cliff  swallows  among  whom  they  threaded 
their  way,  now  skimming  low  over  the  water,  and  now  darting  into 
crevices  in  the  rocks.  The  number  of  times  the  birds  were  seen 
entering  these  niches  made  it  seem  probable  that  they  were  feeding 
3roung  within.  Several  pairs  of  squabbling  English  sparrows  were 
fussing  about  the  face  of  the  cliff,  but  whether  with  designs  of  oust- 
ing the  swifts  or  the  swallows  from  their  strongholds  was  not 
apparent. 

153688°— 20 2 


18          BIRDS  OF  THE  PAP  AGO  SAGUAEO   NATIONAL  MONUMENT. 

From  the  dam  southward,  through  the  construction  camp  and 
among  the  houses  on  "Government  Hill,"  English  sparrows  were 
everywhere.  The  species  is  established  at  Roosevelt  at  the  present 
time  to  the  number  of  200,  at  least.  How  this  point  was  reached  is 
a  question,  for  the  arrival  here  of  the  sparrow  required  a  journey  of 
not  less  than  40  miles  over  desert  country.  One  never  sees  these  birds 
anywhere  save  in  the  towns,  or  occasionally  about  ranch  houses; 
yet  all  the  scattered  colonies  now  established  in  the  country  have 
undoubtedly  been  planted  through  birds  following  wagon  roads  or 
railroads.  Their  travels  must  be  carried  on  in  much  less  ostentatious 
manner  than  is  their  custom  when  once  at  home  in  a  place. 

About  the  houses  linnets  were  seen  adopting  civilization  as  usual 
and  making  the  most  of  such  shrubbery  as  has  been  planted.  A  mile 
or  so  east  of  the  cluster  of  buildings  occupied  by  Forest  and  Recla- 
mation Service  officials  and  employees  lies  the  "  new  town "  of 
Roosevelt,  so  called.  When  the  old  town  was  buried  beneath  the 
waters  of  the  lake  the  new  town  was  established  here  on  the  hills 
above,  but  most  of  the  inhabitants  and  the  business  of  the  place 
have  since  moved  to  points  nearer  the  dam.  The  sight  of  a  male 
vermilion  flycatcher  perched  on  a  watering  trough  reminded  me 
that  I  had  not  before  seen  that  species  here;  it  proved  to  be  of 
decidedly  rare  occurrence. 

A  little  farther  on  a  violent  hissing  by  the  roadside  led  to  inves- 
tigation of  sundry  nooks  and  crannies  in  the  piled  rock  of  the  retain- 
ing wall,  in  one  of  which  cavities  a  nest  full  of  young  rock  wrens 
was  finally  revealed  as  the  source  of  the  disturbance.  The  surround- 
ing hills  now  arose  less  precipitously  from  the  lake  and  retreated 
farther  from  its  margin.  At  the  point  where  the  trail  leads  from 
the  stage  road  to  the  cliff  dwellings  the  valley  is  broad  and  gently 
sloping  and  well  covered  with  desert  vegetation.  Mesquite  and  cat- 
claw  grow  quite  luxuriantly,  interspersed  with  cholla  cactus,  ocotilla, 
and  giant  cactus,  to  mention  a  few  of  the  more  conspicuous  plants. 

From  a  thicket  of  mesquite  several  western  tanagers  emerged, 
belated  migrants,  looking  very  much  out  of  place  in  this  hot  desert. 
If  their  destination  was  the  forested  summit  of  the  Sierra  Ancha, 
however,  their  journey  was  nearly  done  and  they  might  still  linger 
a  little  before  beginning  their  summer  duties.  Palmer  thrashers 
were  abundant  here,  vying  with  the  equally  numerous  mockingbirds 
in  the  beauty  of  their  song.  I  had  been  hearing  complaints  of  the 
lack  of  birds  and  of  bird  music  in  this  region,  but  surely  no  one 
could  wish  for  anything  finer  than  the  chorus  produced  by  these  two 
species  alone.  Both  thrashers  and  mockingbirds  were  singing  from 
the  tops  of  saguaros,  where  refreshment  of  some  sort  seemed  avail- 
able in  the  blossoms  whenever  the  singers'  throats  became  dry. 


BIRDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGUAKO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT.         19 

Desert  quail  scurried  out  of  the  bushes  from  time  to  time,  usually 
in  pairs.  On  this  day  and  on  subsequent  excursions  the  species  was 
found  in  abundaacein  suitable  localities  about  the  lake,  and  many 
broods  of  young  were^encountered.  The  monotonous,  tinkling  song 
of  the  desert  sparrow  w)is  heard  on  all  sides,  and  little  companies  of 
blnr-k  thrnntrd  frftrrttTr'with  their  more  plainly  colored  young  scat- 
tered out  of  the  bushes  from  time  to  time.  Other  birds,  too,  were 
noted  in  some  numbers  on  this  mesa :  Verdin,  dwarf  cowbird,  plum- 
beous gnatcatcher,  mourning  dove,  white-winged  dove,  and  phaino- 
pepla.  A  brilliant  male  Arizona  cardinal  sang  from  a  distant  clump 
of  mesquite,  but  would  not  permit  a  near  approach. 

A  visit  to  the  cliff  dwellings  entailed  a  climb  up  the  side  of  the 
canyon,  a  brief  ascent  and  over  a  good  trail,  but  ...still,  in  the  glare 
of  the  Arizona  sun,  so  that  the  cool  shelter  oMiegray  wa^s  became 
a  welcome  retreat  from  the  stifling  heat.  A  pair  of  ravens  croaking 
overhead  had  evidently  found  congenial  surroundings  here./for  their 
footprints  were  everywhere  in  the  dust  of  the  flooTPS: — There  could 
have  been  no  room  for  ravens  when  people  occupied  these  caverns, 
but  the  pair  of  white-throated  swifts  darting  in  and  out  of  a  crevice 
directly  over  the  ruins  would  not  have  been  disturbed  by  any  human 
tenants  below.  The  swifts  may  well  have  been  among  the  birds  most 
familiar  to  the  cliff  dwellers ;  in  choice  of  a  home  they  were  certainly 
of  like  taste. 

In  the  canyon  below  a  thin  line  of  trees,  mostly  sycamore,  ash,  and 
mesquite,  gave  promise  of  water,  which  was,  indeed,  found  a  little 
farther  up,  together  with  a  fair  abundance  of  birds.  Two  sycamore 
stubs  held  each  a  nest  of  Gila  woodpecker,  with  young,  to  judge  from 
the  noise  that  issued  and  from  the  activities  of  the  old  birds,  flying 
back  and  forth  with  food  projecting  from  their  beaks.  A  western 
wood  pewee  seen  here  was  doubtless  an  individual  in  migration,  as 
was  also  an  unidentified  small  Empidonax,  apparently  a  western  fly- 
catcher. A  Lucy  warbler  was  also  added  to  the  list,  first  noticed  from 
its  simple  song,  a  monotonously  repeated  single  note  impossible  of 
description  though  easily  recognizable  when  heard.  From  the  hill- 
side descended  the  loud,  clear  song  of  the  Scott  oriole,  so  like  the 
meadowlark  in  its  tone.  This  is  a  rare  bird  here,  only  two  or  three 
being  observed  about  Roosevelt  Lake,  beside  one  seen  from  the  stage 
near  Fish  Creek  Canyon.  Still  another  species  to  which  attention 
was  drawn  by  its  call  note  was  the  Scott  sparrow,  so  like  the  rufous- 
crown  sparrow  of  California,  and  with  exactly  the  same  twanging 
chirp. 

By  11  o'clock  the  glare  of  the  sun  was  such  as  to  have  driven  most 
birds  to  cover,  and  census  taking  was  discontinued.  In  three  hours 
41  species  had  been  listed,  with  a  total  of  approximately  370*  indi- 


20          BIRDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGUARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT. 

viduals.  Two  species  seen  had  not  allowed  their  identity  to  be  posi- 
tively determined,  for  all  the  hummingbirds  encountered  were 
females,  which  are  much  alike  in  the  different  species,  and  the  Empi- 
donax  mentioned  above  did  not  tarry  for  close  observation. 

Observations  during  the  next  few  days  added  11  species  to  the  list 
gathered  in  this  morning's  observations,  giving  a  total  of  52  species 
of  birds  seen  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Roosevelt  Lake.  At  the 
lower  end  of  the  lake,  owing  to  the  precipitous  nature  of  the  surround- 
ing hills  and  the  scanty  vegetation,  conditions  are  not  so  favorable  for 
birds,  but  even  here  some  could  be  found  with  a  little  search.  A  blos- 
soming ocotilla  in  front  of  the  hotel  proved  a  daily  attraction  to 
hummingbirds,  and  an  elder  tree  by  the  veranda  was  frequented  by 
quite  a  number  of  birds,  among  those  most  constantly  present,  curi- 
ously enough,  being  several  ash-throated  flycatchers,  who  were  evi- 
dently finding  some  food  about  the  clusters  of  blossoms.  Arizona 
hooded  orioles  were  daily  visitors,  the  males,  when  two  came  together, 
going  through  certain  ridiculous  evolutions — apparently  giving  stiff- 
necked  defiance  of  each  other — movement^  that  are  calculated  to  show 
their  gaudy  colors  to  the  best  advantage,  buXwhich  are  certainly  lack- 
ing in  grace.  Little  flocks  of  dwarf  cowbirds)appeared  from  time  to 
time,  sometimes  flying  out  across  theJake,  as'though  bound  for  distant 
pastures,  then,  with  no  apparent  reason,  but  with  one  accord,  whirling 
about  and  back  again,  to  alight  at  their  starting  point. 

Though  there  is  little  apparent  difference  in  the  vegetation  of 
Roosevelt  Lake  and  the  Papago  Saguaro  Monument,  there  are  several 
species  of  birds  not  found  in  both  places.  There  is  one  conspicuous 
plant,  the  ocotilla,  that  does  not  grow  in  the  latter  place,  though 
it  is  abundant  at  Roosevelt.  About  the  lake  the  canyon  towhee  re- 
places the  Abert  towhee  of  the  lower  valleys.  The  canyon  towhee  is 
a  foothill  bird,  Roosevelt  Lake  lying  at  about  the  lower  limit  of  the 
range  of  this  species.  It  is  not  averse  to  the  company  of  man,  being 
a  frequenter  of  stable  yards  and  camp  grounds,  when  such  are  avail- 
able, usually  in  little  companies  of  three  or  four,  and  tame  and  con- 
fiding in  their  actions.  The  cactus  woodpecker,  desert  sparrow,  and 
Arizona  least  vireo  are  all  species  observed  here,  but  which  I  looked 
for  in  vain  about  Phoenix  and  Tempe. 

There  is  one  other  bird  that,  rather  oddly,  is  of  especial  interest  as 
occurring  at  this  point.  On  July  3  a  solitary  crow  passed  overhead 
but  a  short  distance  away,  his  repeated  "  caw  "  bearing  loud  assur- 
ance that  this  indeed  was  not  a  raven.  The  sight  of  this  bird  was  the 
most  exciting  event  of  the  day,  for  crows  are  scarce  in  most  parts  of 
Arizona ;  in  fact,  this  was  the  first  of  the  species  that  I  had  ever  seen 
within  the  State. 


BIRDS  OF  THE  PAP  AGO  SAGUARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT.         21 
BIRDS  OF  THE  SIERRA  ANCHA. 

The  most  striking  topographical  feature  of  Arizona  is  the  Mogollon 
Divide,  that  line  of  prodigious  cliffs  which  extends  diagonally  nearly 
across  the  State  from  northwest  to  southeast,  dividing  it  into  two 
diverse  and  sharply  defined  sections.  Above  this  barrier  is  a  high 
plateau  region  of  pine  forests  ;  below,  low,  hot  deserts  extend  nearly 
to  the  foot  of  the  escarpment.  South  of  the  divide,  smaller  isolated 
mountain  ranges  carry  upon  their  summits  animal  and  plant  life 
similar  to  that  of  the  northern  plateau  region  —  Boreal  islands  sur- 
rounded by  a  sea  of  desert.  The  Sierra  Ancha,  forming  one  of  these 
southern  continuations  of  the  Mogollons,  are  of  peculiar  interest 
from  their  location  at  the  meeting  point  of  two  diverse  faunas.  Birds 
of  the  Rocky  Mountain  region,  characteristic  of  northern  Arizona, 
are  here  at  about  their  southern  limit;  while  certain  species  of  the 
Mexican  table-land  (also  dwellers  on  the  mountain  tops,  and  of 
which  many  reach  southern  Arizona)  extend  this  far  north  and  prac- 
tically no  farther.  So  there  are  found  in  proximity  such  diverse 
species  as  the  southern  Coues  flycatcher,  Arizona  jay,  hepatic  tanager, 
painted  redstart,  and  bridled  titmouse,  contrasted  with  the  more 
northern  Batchelder  woodpecker,  western  tanager,  mountain  chicka- 
dee, and  Audubon  hermit  thrush. 

The  road  to  the  Sierra  Ancha  starts  northward  from  a  point  near 

the  eastern  end  of  Roosevelt  Lake,  some  10  milejJfrQnLjhe^dam. 

From  lake  to  foothills  5  or  6  miles  of  desert  are  traversed,  a  gravelly 

mesacovjBred-JEith  the  usual  desert  vegetation  —  saguaro,  palo  verde, 

-tJcotilla,  mesquite/^tc.,  a  much  higher  and  mo 


is  seen^aboutJ^lower  end  of  the  lake.  Saguaros  are  not  numerous, 
b"ut  some  of  them  are  very  large.  One  in  particular,  not  far  from  the 
base  of  the  mountains,  looms  up  as  a  veritable  landmark,  a  giant, 
even  among  its  kind,  of  prodigious  girth,  and  extraordinary  in  -the 
number  of  its  branching  arms. 

All  the  way  from  the  lake  the  road  ascends  steadily,  but  once  the 
foothills  are  reached  it  begins  to  climb  at  a  much  steeper  pitch.  This 
continues  until  over  the  "  rim  ",  a  long  exposure  of  cliff  such  as  is 
encountered  to  a  greater  or  less  extent  in  many  Arizona  mountains, 
above  which  gentler  slopes  prevail.  Here  we  begin  to  leave  the 
desert  brush  uehind,  finding  instead  extensive  grassy 
with  yuccas:-.,  The  last  saguaro  is  seen  at  about  3,000  feet,  the  ocotilla 
persisting  some  distance  higher.  ___ 

Scrubby  oak  brush  begins  to  appear,  getting  thicker  as  we  ascend, 
until  the  slopes  are  well  covered.  Now,  too,  as  the  road  dips  down 
into  sheltered  canyons,  crossing  to  the  hillsides  beyond,  it  is  momen- 
tarily shaded  by  sycamores  and  larger  oaks^  arched  over  cool  moun- 
tain streams. 


22         BIRDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGUARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT. 

At  about  6,000  feet  the  divide  is  reached,  and  here,  abruptly  as  a 
passage  from  one  room  to  another,  one  is  plunged  into  a  different 
world.  Toward  Roosevelt  Lake  the  hot,  southern  exposure  of  the 
mountains  is  steep  and  rocky,  sparsely  clothed  in  scattered  vegetation 
ifiat~is^ptH^ly\of  the  desert.  To  the  northward  extend  forests  of 
f  yellow  pine,  nyile  after  mile  and  ridge  beyond  ridge,  far  as  the  eye 
N2an  reach,  cerol  and  shady,  and  with  running  water  in  every  canyon. 
The  startling  effects  of  different  exposures  and  altitudes  are,  of 
course,  well-known  phenomena  of  our  western  mountains,  but  there 
are  few  places  where  there  is  opportunity  of  contrasting  such  an 
absolute  change  in  so  short  a  distance,  especially  where  such  large 
areas  are  involved. 

Besides  the  yellow  pine  the  forests  contain  one  or  two  other  coni- 
fers, though  in  lesser  numbers.  On  the  warmer  hillsides  there  is  a 
good  deal  of  juniper,  while  at  higher  altitudes,  especially  in  deeply 
cut,  shaded  canyons,  there  are  many  large  firs.  There  is  an  abun- 
dancp.  of  oak  timber,  both  large-sized,  deciduous  white  oaks,  and  live- 
oak  brusfi^  Along  the  streams  are  sycamore,  maple,  alder,  ash,  and 
^box^ldwfi,nd  on  the  hillsides  thickets  of  locust,  clumps  of  sumach, 
with  here  and  there  a  tangle  of  grapevines.  It  is  a  region  of  abun- 
dant vegetation  and  running  streams.  The  latter  have  recently  been 
stocked  with  trout,  promising  an  added  attraction  in  the  near  future. 

For  scenic  beauty  nothing  can  excel  the  canyons  on  the  northeast 
side  of  the  range,  difficult  of  access  at  the  present  time,  but  abun- 
dantly repaying  the  effort  it  takes  to  reach  them.  Hemmed  in  by 
walls  of  appalling  height,  so  steep  that  one  looks  down  as  from  the 
roofs  of  buildings,  one  gorge  after  another  comes  into  view  miles  in 
extent,  the  very  vastness  of  the  outlook  forming  an  obstacle  to  a  full 
appreciation  of  it  all.  On  many  of  these  canyon  walls  there  are  clus- 
ters of  cliff  dwellings  tucked  under  projecting  ledges,  inaccesible 
from  above  and  difficult  to  reach  even  from  the  canyons  below.  From 
the  higher  peaks  can  be  seen,  far  to  the  northward,  the  imposing  line 
of  the  Mogollons,  stretching  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach. 

The  clearness  of  the  Arizona  atmosphere,  permitting  easy  vision 
over  distances  unheard  of  elsewhere,  enables  one  to  obtain  in  such 
places  as  this,  through  concrete  examples  before  the  eye,  fuller  reali- 
zation of  the  characteristics  and  peculiarities  of  the  country  than  can 
be  learned  from  many  pages  of  written  descriptions  and  explanations. 
The  Mogollon  Divide  as  a  factor  in  distribution  becomes  more  of  a 
reality  when  it  is  actually  in  view,  imposing  its  presence  across  the 
whole  horizon.  That  the  desert  and  the  mountain  top  are  different 
worlds,  as  far  as  most  animals  and  plants  are  concerned,  is  brought 
strongly  home  to  one  when,  sitting  in  the  cool  shade  of  pine  trees,  he 
looks  down  into  a  scorching  valley,  but  a  few  miles  away  in  actual  dis- 
tance, and  with  absolutely  no  physical  obstruction  to  uninterrupted 


Photograph  by  Southern  Pacific  Co. 

A.     LOOKING  EASTWARD  FROM   FORESTED  SUMMIT  OF  THE  SIERRA  ANCHA. 

A  suggestion  of  the  contrasts  to  be  found  within  a  relatively  short  distance.  The  blistering 
desert  plains  and  buttes  appear  to  be  scarcely  more  than  a  stone's  throw  from  the  cool 
pine  woods. 


Photograph  by  Southern  Pacific  Co. 

B.     ROOSEVELT  LAKE.     THE  SIERRA  ANCHA  IN  THE  DISTANCE. 

The  shores  of  the  lake  are  too  stony  and  their  descent  too  abrupt  to  permit  of  the  existence 
of  any  marsh  land.     Desert  vegetation  extends  quite  to  the  water's  edge. 


A.     SIERRA    ANCHA,    LOOKING    NORTHWARD    FROM    THE    DIVIDE    NEAR 
ROOSEVELT  LAKE. 

The  north-facing  slopes  here  shown  are  densely  covered  with  trees  and  shrubbery.    This 
is  the  home  of  the  black  bear,  mule  deer,  and  Abert  squirrel,  of  the  wild  turkey  and 


band-tail  pigeon.     Bird  life  is  abundant,  composed  mostly  of 
higher  mountains  and  never  seen  in  the  arid  valleys  but  a  few 


species  peculiar  to  the 
miles  distant. 


SIERRA  ANCHA.   LOOKING  SOUTHEASTWARD  FROM  THE 


This  view  of  the  arid  and  treeless  slopes  is  from  a  point  but  a  few  rods  distant  from  the  spot 
where  the  upper  view  was  photographed.  Animal  life  is  scarce  here,  and  for  the  most  part 
consists  of  species  that  are  rarely  or  never  seen  on  the  cool,  north-facing  hillsides. 


BIEDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGUARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT.         23 

passage,  of  birds  at  any  rate,  yet  with  nothing  in  common  in  the 
animal  and  plant  life  of  the  two  regions. 

As  an  object  lesson  in  the  puzzling  problem  of  the  distribution 
of  animals  and  plants,  it  is  well  worth  while  to  turn  aside  from  the 
sameness  of  the  highway  through  the  valleys,  travel  20  miles  into 
these  mountains,  and  see  the  changes  accompanying  a  drop  in  tem- 
perature of  but  a  few  degrees.  Fifty-seven  species  of  birds  were 
observed  in  the  Transition  Zone  of  the  Sierra  Ancha  during  June; 
52  about  Roosevelt  Lake.  Only  14  species  were  noted  at  both  places. 
Of  these  14,  one  (the  desert  quail)  has  been  artificially  introduced 
at  a  ranch  in  the  mountains;  two  (western  wood  pewee  and  western 
tanager)  were  belated  migrants  in  the  valley,  on  their  way  to  the 
mountains,  and  the  others  aYe  wide-ranging  species,  such  as  the 
mourning  dove,  turkey  vulture,  and  western  re4-tailed  hawk.  \For 
the  most  part  the  avian  assemblages  of  the  two  regions  are  wiojely 
different,  thouglT  in"fiianycases  closely  related  species  replace' one 
another  in  mountain  and  valley.  Thus  there  may  be  contrasted,  in 
the  pines  of  the  Sierras  and  in  the  valley,  respectively,  band-tailed 
pigeon  and  white-winged  dove,  red-shafted  flicker  and  gilded  flicker, 
broad-tailed  hummingbird  and  costa  hummingbird,  Cassin  king- 
bird and  western  kingbird,  mountain  towhee  and  canyon  towhee, 
violet-green  swallow  and  rough-winged  swallow,  Virginia  warbler 
and  Lucy  warbler,  western  gnatcatcher  and  plumbeous  gnatcatcher, 
to  mention  some  of  the  more  conspicuous. 

There  are  some  of  the  mountain  birds  that  are  certain  to  attract 
the  attention  of  even  the  most  casual  observer,  while  many  others 
must  await  the  more  careful  search  required  for  their  discovery. 
The  Sierra  Ancha  constitute  one  of  the  few  remaining  retreats  of 
the  wild  turkey,  and  in  these  mountains  this  species  still  occurs  in 
sufficient  numbers  to  guarantee  its  continued  existence  as  a  game 
bird,  provided  it  receives  adequate  protection.  In  June  the  broods 
of  young  were  beginning  to  appear. 

Another  fine  game  bird,  the  band-tailed  pigeon,  occurs  in  fair 
numbers  in  the  higher  parts  of  the  range.  Usually  the  first  intima- 
tion received  of  the  proximity  of  pigeons  is  the  loud  clapping  of 
wings  as  the  birds  hurriedly  take  flight  from  some  oak  tree  when 
approached  too  nearly.  Now  and  then  a  small  flock  or  a  single 
bird  is  seen  high  in  the  air,  crossing  from  one  hillside  to  another, 
and  occasionally  a  male  bird  may  be  observed  going  through  his 
courting  evolutions.  In  this  performance  the  bird  launches  into  the 
air  from  his  perch  on  some  tall  tree,  and,  with  wings  and  tail  stiffly 
outspread,  describes  a  large  circle  back  to  his  starting  point.  During 
this  flight  he  utters  a  wheezing  noise,  not  audible  at  any  great  dis- 
tance. 


24  BIRDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGTJARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT. 

Of  the  four  species  of  woodpeckers  that  breed  in  these  mountains, 
the  white-breasted  woodpecker  should  be  looked  for  mostly  in  the 
pine  timber,  the  Batchelder  woodpecker  in  the  maples  and  alders 
along  the  streams,  and  the  red-shafted  flicker  almost  anywhere, 
though  it  is  not  an  abundant  species.  The  Mearns  woodpecker  will 
reveal  itself  without  any  special  search.  The  noisy  chatter  of  this 
species  is  heard  on  all  sides,  while  the  birds  themselves,  in  showy 
red,  black,  and  white  plumage,  are  conspicuous  through  their  manner 
of  repeatedly  making  short  sallies  from  the  trees  in  pursuit  of 
passing  insects.  They  are  not  especially  shy,  but  when  closely 
approached  have  a  clown-like  habit  of  dodging  behind  a  tree  trunk, 
where  they  play  hide  and  seek  with  bobbing  head  and  chattering 
tongue.  Their  white  eyes  add  much  to  the  oddity  of  their  appearance. 

On  the  evening  of  July  1  a  Stephens  whippoorwill  was  heard  call- 
ing, indicating  what  is  probably  the  northern  limit  of  the  species 
in  Arizona.  In  the  more  southern  mountain  ranges  of  the  State 
it  is  a  common  summer  visitant. 

There  are  several  interesting  flycatchers  in  the  higher  mountains. 
The  Cassin  kingbird  is  one  of  the  most  common,  replacing  the  west- 
ern kingbird  of  the  lower  valleys,  which  it  so  closely  resembles  in 
appearance.  The  Coues  flycatcher,  a  summer  visitor  from  Mexico, 
which  is  here  at  about  the  northern  limit  of  his  range,  is  less  con- 
spicuous and  far  less  numerous.  The  Mexicans  call  this  bird  Jose 
Maria  (Ho-say  Mar-i-a),  a  very  good  rendition  of  the  call  note. 
The  Coues  flycatcher  is,  in  appearance  and  habits,  very  much  like 
his  near  relative,  the  olive-sided  flycatcher,  a  much  more  familiar 
object  to  most  North  American  bird  students,  and,  like  the  olive- 
sided,  should  be  looked  for  high  in  the  tree  tops,  usually  at  the  tip 
of  a  dead  limb  or  on  some  tall  dead  pine  stub. 

In  the  narrow,  dark  canyons,  where  densely  growing  fir  trees 
shade  the  streams  beneath,  may  be  heard  the  sharp  "  pee- whit "  of 
the  western  flycatcher — a  note  that  is  heard  far  more  often  than 
the  birds  themselves  are  seen. 

In  the  mountain  ranges  of  Arizona  the  jays  are  always  a  con- 
spicuous feature  of  bird  life,  with^au^abundance  of  individuals,  and 
including  several  species  of  notable  interest  from  peculiarities  of  ap- 
pearance or  of  habits.  The  Arizona  jay  )is,  perhaps,  the  noisiest 
member  of  a  sufficiently  garrulous  family/  habitually  shrieking  his 
disapproval  of  events  and  inoivid«als7iraveling  in  companies  of 

25  or  30  in  order  to  give  added  force  to  his  objections,  and  going  far 
out  of  his  way  to  find  trouble  that  otherwise  would  not  come  to  him. 
The  long-crested  jay  is  less  conspicuous  and  less  abundant.     The  two 
species  occur  together  in  the  Sierra  Ancha  at  about  6,000  feet;  on 
the  higher  peaks  I  saw  the  long-crested,  but  not  the  Arizona. 


BIRDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGUARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT.         25 

There  is  a  third  species  in  these  mountains,  the  Woodhouse  jay, 
restricted  almost  entirely  to  the  hot,  south- facing  slope.  Coming 
up  from  Roosevelt  Lake  there  is  a  stretch  of  road  passing  through 
some  miles  of  scrub  oak  brush,  with  a  few  oak  trees  and  junipers  scat- 
tered over  the  hills.  This  is  the  home  of  the  Woodhouse  jay,  a  bird 
of  the  thickets,  rather  solitary  in  its  habits,  and  a  bit  of  a  sneak  in 
disposition.  He  may  be  seen  occasionally  diving  into  a  bush  or  heard 
calling  from  the  hillside,  but  it  is  no  easy  matter  to  come  to  more  inti- 
mate acquaintance  with  him. 

About  the  ranch  house  where  I  made  my  home  in  the  mountains, 
the  clearing  of  timber,  together  with  the  planting  of  alfalfa  and 
garden  crops,  had  provided  conditions  that  were  evidently  suited  to 
certain  species  of  birds  seen  here,  but  not  elsewhere  at  this  altitude. 
Green-backed  goldfinches  were  in  the  garden  daily.  A  pair  of  west- 
ern blue  grosbeaks  was  evidently  nesting  somewhere  about  the  edges 
of  the  alfalfa  field,  rather  to  my  surprise,  for  I  had  not  seen  the 
species  in  the  valley  below,  where  the  surroundings  were  apparently 
more  favorable  for  it.  Several  pairs  of  lazuli  buntings  also  fre- 
quented the  alfalfa  field.  On  July  1  there  was  brought  to  me  for 
identification  a  bird  that  had  been  killed  in  the  garden  the  day  be- 
fore by  the  boy  who  was  working  there.  This  proved  to  be  a  male 
of  the  eastern  indigo  bunting — a  startling  occurrence,  as  it  was  the 
first  of  the  species  to  be  found  in  Arizona. 

A  few  hepatic  tanagers  also  visited  the  alfalfa  field  occasionally, 
especially  toward  evening,  the  red-colored  males  rather  conspicuous 
ugainst  the  greenery  they  frequented.  The  call  note  of  this  bird 
is  a  "  chuck,"  so  exactly  similar  to  the  tone  of  the  hermit  thrush  that 
the  two  sounds  are  easily  confused. 

Four  species  of  warblers  were  found.  The  Virginia  warbler,  a 
tiny,  dull-colored  bird,  frequenting  rather  dense  shrubbery,  and 
nesting  on  the  ground,  has  no  conspicuous  markings  to  catch  the  eye, 
but  does  possess  a  certain  loose-jointed  flipping  of  the  tail  that  serves 
excellently  for  identifying  the  species.  The  Grace  warbler,  rather 
rare,  is  a  bird  of  the  pines,  especially  of  the  denser  stands  of  young 
trees.  For  recognition  dependence  must  be  placed  upon  an  occa- 
sional glimpse  of  the  yellow  throat,  or  a  flash  of  white  outer  tail 
feathers  in  flight.  The  black-throated  gray  warbler  is  an  inhabitant 
of  the  oak  thickets  mainly. 

The  visiting  bird  student  will  get  great  joy  from  the  painted  red- 
start, in  appearance  suggestive  of  the  tropics,  abundant  in  numbers, 
and  not  at  all  shy.  Like  his  cousin  of  the  Eastern  States,  the  painted 
redstart  appears  to  be  constantly  posing,  with  drooping  wings  and 
spread  tail,  in  a  seeming  attempt  to  show  his  gaudy  colors  and 
markings  to  the  best  advantage.  Unlike  the  eastern  redstart,  how- 


26          BIRDS  OF  THE  PAP  AGO  SAGTJARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT. 

ever,  the  Arizona  bird  nests  upon  the  ground,  building  in  the  cut 
bank  of  a  road,  at  the  entrance  to  some  prospector's  abandoned  tun- 
nel, or  in  some  sheltered  nook  alongside  a  stream. 

The  desert  wren  belies  his  name  by  residing  in  manzanita  thickets 
in  the  high  mountains,  not  occurring  at  all  (in  summer,  at  least)  on 
the  desert  below.  He  is  rare  and  extremely  shy,  so  that  special 
search  must  be  made  to  catch  even  a  fleeting  glimpse  of  him.  The 
male  bird  is  an  assiduous  songster,  however,  and,  by  careful  stalking, 
may  be  caught  unawares  at  his  perch  on  some  dead  twig  above  the 
bushes. 

The  western  house  wren  is  everywhere  in  the  mountains,  bubbling 
over  with  song,  as  usual.  Every  pile  of  brush  seemed  to  have  its 
wren  tenants.  In  the  oak  trees  one  occasionally  runs  across  little 
droves  of  the  bridled  titmouse,  but  not  often,  for  the  species  is  not 
nearly  as  common  here  as  in  some  of  the  more  southern  of  the 
Arizona  mountain  ranges.  In  fact,  the  Sierra  Ancha  must  be  at 
nearly  the  northern  limit  of  the  range  of  this  Mexican  species,  at 
least  in  this  part  of  the  State.  The  pointed  crest  and  the  peculiar 
head  markings  (from  which  the  bird's  common  name  is  derived) 
serve  as  unmistakable  recognition  marks. 

On  the  highest  peaks  there  occurs  another  member  of  the  family, 
the  mountain  chickadee,  quite  scarce,  and  apparently  not  descending 
to  lower  levels  during  the  nesting  season.  A  third  titmouse,  the 
lead-colored  bush-tit,  is  most  numerous  on  the  eastern  slope  of  the 
range,  where  the  slightly  different  character  of  the  forest,  with 
juniper  and  agaves  among  the  conspicuous  plants,  apparently  affords 
more  congenial  surroundings  than  the  denser  pine  forest. 

To  most  visitors  to  the  mountains  the  Audubon  hermit  thrush  will 
be  no  more  than  a  melodious  voice,  heard  from  dense  fir  woods  or 
thickly  shaded  canyons.  The  birds  are  not  uncommon,  and  during 
the  summer  months  may  be  heard  singing  on  all  sides,  especially 
toward  evening,  but  to  catch  sight  of  one  of  the  songsters  requires 
the  most  cautious  approach,  with  much  patient  waiting. 

Western  robins  and  chestnut-backed  bluebirds  are  both  familiar 
objects  in  the  pine  forests,  the  former  by  far  the  most  abundant,  and 
through  its  loud  song  most  constantly  brought  to  notice.  Robins' 
nests  with  young  were  found  during  June  in  alders  overhanging  the 
streams. 


LOCATION  OF  NEST  OF  THE  PAINTED   REDSTART,  SIERRA  ANCHA. 

Unlike  its  relative,  the  Common  Redstart  of  the  eastern  United  States,  which  nests  well  up  in 
small  trees  or  bushes,  the  Painted  Redstart  places  its  nest  upon  the  ground- 


CLOSER  VIEW  OF  THE  PAINTED    REDSTART'S  NEST. 

It  was  so  well  hidden  in  the  cavity  beneath  the  tree  trunk  that  it  could  not  have  been  found 
except  through  the  sudden  flight  of  the  sitting  bird. 


GENERAL  ACCOUNTS  OF  SOME  BIRDS  OF  THE  REGION. 

PALMER   THRASHER. 
Toxostoma  curvirostre  palmeri  (Coues). 

Recognition  marks. — Bulk  about  that  of  a  robin ;  about  11£  inches 
long.  Color,  pale  grayish-brown,  obscurely  spotted  on  the  breast; 
no  distinctive  markings  that  are  readily  apparent  in  the  living  bird. 
Short,  rounded  wings ;  long  tail ;  slightly  curved  bill. 

Occurrence. — Arizona  is  apparently  the  headquarters  of  the 
thrasher  family,  for  whereas  in  most  parts  of  the  United  States 
there  is  but  a  single  species  in  any  one  region,  the  Arizona  valleys 
contain  six  of  more  or  less  common  occurrence,  while  a  seventh  (the 
eastern  brown  thrasher)  has  reached  the  State  upon  at  least  one 
occasion. 

The  Palmer  thrasher  is  by  far  the  most  common  of  the  Arizona 
thrashers,  and  of  most  general  distribution.  It  is  one  of  the  most 
characteristic  birds  of  the  Papago  Saguaro  Monument.  About 
Phoenix  and  Tempe  it  is,  perhaps,  the  most  abundant  single  species 
of  bird,  and  it  even  ventures  into  the  towns  where  sheltering  brush 
piles  or  thickets  remain  in  vacant  lots  or  along  roadsides.  Culti- 
vated farm  lands  hold  little  attraction  for  the  thrasher,  however, 
and  it  is  rarely  seen  about  such  places. 

The  general  appearance  of  the  Palmer  thrasher  is  of  a  plain,  earth- 
colored  bird,  with  no  striking  feature  of  form  or  color  to  aid  in 
identification.  As  it  flies  the  whitish  colored  tips  to  the  tail  feathers 
can  sometimes  be  seen,  but  it  is  seldom  that  the  obscure  mottling  on 
the  breast  can  be  made  out  without  the  aid  of  field  glasses.  In  size, 
color,  shape,  and  manner  of  flight,  the  features  most  apparent  to 
the  field  observer,  the  Palmer  thrasher  is  closely  similar  to  the  Ben- 
dire  and  crissal  thrashers,  and  the  Abert  and  Canyon  towhees,  with 
any  of  which  species  it  is  frequently  associated. 

From  the  towhees  the  thrasher  may  be  distinguished  at  a  reason- 
able distance  by  its  long,  curved  bill,  as  well  as  by  certain  manner- 
isms, soon  learned  through  observation.  The  squealing,  chattering 
call  notes  of  the  towhees  are  also  quite  different  from  any  sound  the 
thrasher  produces.  The  crissal  thrasher  is  slightly  darker  colored, 
with  no  spotting  on  the  breast,  and  of  more  slender  build.  This 
species  occurs  in  the  general  region  traversed  by  the  Apache  Trail, 
though  I  did  not  meet  with  it  myself.  Despite  their  superficial  re- 

27 


28          BIRDS  OF  THE  PAP  AGO  SAGUARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT. 

semblance,  however,  there  is  little  likelihood  of  the  Palmer  and 
crissal  thrashers  being  confused,  for  the  two  birds  inhabit  different 
types  of  country.  The  Palmer  thrasher  is  a  denizen  of  the  open, 
cactus-covered  mesa;  the  crissal  thrasher  frequents  the  mesquite 
thickets  of  the  river  beds. 

To  distinguish  between  the  Palmer  and  Bendire  thrashers  is  an- 
other matter,  for  the  two  are  found  in  exactly  the  same  surround- 
ings and  resemble  each  other  closely  in  appearance.  The  Bendire 
thrasher  is  the  smaller  of  the  two,  perhaps  an  inch  shorter  in 
length,  is  more  definitely  spotted  on  the  breast,  and  has  a  shorter, 
less  curved  bill.  It  is  known  to  occur  about  Phoenix,  but  I  did  not 
meet  with  the  species,  and  it  is  certainly  far  less  abundant  than  its 
larger  relative. 

The  Palmer  thrasher  is  resident  the  year  through  in  Arizona. 
Nest  building  begins  before  winter  is  fairly  over,  and  the  first  eggs 
are  laid  late  in  February  or  early  in  March.  Sets  of  eggs  may  be 
found  until  about  the  middle  of  May.  The  usual  number  of  eggs  in 
a  set  is  three,  rarely  two  or  four ;  in  color  the  eggs  are  pale  bluish- 
green,  uniformly  dotted  with  brownish. 

The  nesting  habits  of  the  Palmer  thrasher  have  been  described  in 
detail  by  Brown,1  from  the  region  about  Tucson,  and  by  Oilman,2 
from  Sacaton.  The  latter  makes  the  following  statement : 

The  Palmer  thrasher  (Toxostoma  curvirostre  palmeri)  showed  a  decided 
preference  for  the  cholla  cactus  as  a  nesting  site.  Of  27  nests  found,  11  were 
in  the  cholla ;  7  in  the  jujube,  about  as  spiny  as  any  cactus ;  4  were  in  mistletoe 
of  mesquite  and  cottonwood ;  2  in  Lycium ;  2  in  mesquite ;  and  1  in  a  clematis 
vine  trailing  over  a  shrub.  The  average  distance  from  the  ground  was  6£  feet, 
and  extremes  were  2J  feet  and  10  feet.  *  *  *  Fourteen  of  the  27  nests  con- 
tained 3  eggs  each  ;  2  had  4  eggs ;  and  the  rest  2  and  1,  some  of  the  complete  sets 
being  2  eggs. 

The  human  investigator  can  only  marvel  at  the  manner  in  which 
the  cholla  cactus  is  utilized.  It  is  a  plant  to  be  approached  gin- 
gerly always,  handled  never,  yet  the  birds  slip  through  the  inter- 
laced arms  with  their  fiendish  array  of  thorns  without  hindrance 
or  injury.  Not  only  the  thrasher,  but  the  cactus  wren  also,  habit- 
ually build  nests  therein;  while  other  birds  (the  mourning  dove 
frequently,  and  even  the  desert  quail  at  times)  utilize  last  year's 
thrasher  and  wren  nests,  crushed  flat,  on  which  to  lay  their  eggs. 

The  manner  in  which  the  desert  wood  rat  uses  the  cactus  in  barri- 
cading his  home  is  another  story,  but  one  sure  to  be  drawn  to  the 
attention  of  the  student  of  desert  birds.  The  marvel  of  it  is  that  the 
cactus,  while  an  effective  barrier  against  enemies,  should  be  traveled 
over  and  handled  with  impunity  by  the  animals  seeking  protection. 

1  Zoe,  III,  October,  1892,  pp.  243-248. 

2  Condor,  XI,  March,  1909,  pp.  49-54. 


BIEDS  OF  THE  PAP  AGO  SAGUARO   NATIONAL  MONUMENT.          29 

The  Palmer  thrasher  is  a  ground  dweller,  nesting,  as  described,  in 
low  bushes,  and  ascending  to  greater  heights  only  when  the  top  of 
some  cholla  or  mesquite  is  resorted  to  as  a  vantage  point  for  the  de- 
livery of  his  song.  A  cousin  of  the  mockingbird,  he  is  no  disgrace 
to  the  family,  but  a  singer  whose  performances  add  distinctly  to  the 
attractions  of  the  desert  he  inhabits.  In  feeding  he  remains  mostly 
upon  the  ground,  utilizing  his  stout,  curved  bill  for  digging  out  bur- 
rowing insects  or  buried  seeds.  Of  recent  years  this  latter  habit  has 
brought  the  thrasher  into  disrepute  in  some  quarters,  for  he  has  in- 
vaded the  gardens  of  farms  or  suburban  residences,  and,  it  is  as- 
serted, does  no  little  harm  therein. 

CACTUS  WREN. 
Heleodytcs  brunneicapilhis  couesi  (Sharpe). 

Recognition  marks. — The  largest  of  the  North  American  wrens; 
about  8£  inches  in  length.  Thrasher-like  in  appearance  and  actions. 
Coloration  brownish,  obscurely  streaked  above,  spotted  on  lower 
parts.  The  spots  on  the  breast  coalesce,  forming  a  more  or  less 
"  solid "  black  patch,  a  marking  that  is  better  defined  in  freshly 
molted  autumn  birds  than  in  those  in  worn  summer  plumage.  The 
outer  tail  feathers  are  spotted  with  white  on  the  outer  edge;  the 
others  (except  the  middle  pair)  are  white  tipped.  The  effect  of 
these  tail  markings,  when  the  bird  takes  flight,  is  to  give  the  spread 
tail  (rounded  in  shape)  a  narrow  edging  of  white,  a  marking  that 
will  serve  to  distinguish  the  cactus  wren  from  any  of  the  Arizona 
thrashers  (except  the  sage  thrasher,  found  here  in  winter  only),  the 
birds  it  most  nearly  resembles  and  with  which  it  is  most  often 
associated. 

Occurrence. — Wherever  the  cholla  cactus  grows  some  of  the  plants 
are  sure  to  be  decorated  with  the  large,  globular  nests  of  the  cactus 
wren.  There  is  no  need  for  concealment  in  such  shelter,  and  the 
structures  are  conspicuous  amid  the  branching  arms  of  the  cactus, 
visible  from  afar,  but  not  always  easy  of  access.  From  a  distance 
there  is  a  general  resemblance  to  the  nest  of  the  Palmer  thrasher, 
so  frequently  placed  in  the  same  plant,  in  that  both  birds  accumu- 
late large  masses  of  material.  The  thrasher's  nest  is  open,  however, 
while  the  cactus  wren's  is  always  covered.  It  is  usually  somewhat 
elongated  rather  than  round,  placed  on  its  side,  with  a  relatively 
small  entrance  pointing  obliquely  downward.  In  making  any  exam- 
ination of  the  nest  it  is  well  to  insert  the  hand  gently,  for  there  is 
a  reasonable  certainty  that  cactus  thorns  extend  into  the  cavity  at 
some  points.  The  eggs,  usually  from  three  to  six  in  number,  are 
salmon  color,  obscurely  speckled  with  dusky;  there  is  some  varia- 
tion in  the  shade  of  ground  color  and  in  the  density  of  the  mark- 


30          BIRDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGTJARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT. 

ings.  Eggs  are  laid  from  early  April  into  June.  During  July  and 
August  the  young  birds  appear,  flitting  through  the  bushes  in  loosely 
assembled  companies. 

This  is  one  case  where  a  bird  has  received  a  thoroughly  appro- 
priate name,  for  wren  and  cactus  are  almost  inseparable.  Besides 
using  the  cholla  for  nesting  site  and  sanctuary  from  enemies,  the 
cactus  wren,  like  many  other  birds,  feeds  upon  the  fruit.  This  is 
frequently  indicated  by  the  stained  feathers  of  the  face.  Nests 
are  sometimes  placed  in  the  branching  arms  of  the  saguaro,  high 
above  the  ground;  sometimes  in  yuccas  or  palms,  and  sometimes, 
though  rarely,  in  mesquite  or  other  brush;  but  the  cholla  is  the 
usual  choice. 

Like  the  marsh  wren,  the  cactus  wren  sometimes  builds  several 
nests  in  close  proximity  so  as  to  give  the  appearance  of  a  colony 
of  the  birds.  Some  of  the  nests  are  used  the  year  through,  presum- 
ably for  sleeping  or  shelter,  and  the  wrens  may  be  seen  repairing 
them  in  midwinter. 

House  wrens  and  others  of  the  family  are,  as  a  rule,  rather  tame 
and  confiding  in  their  actions,  sometimes  prying  curiously  into 
their  human  neighbors'  belongings  and  not  strongly  resentful  when 
he  responds  in  kind.  The  cactus  wren  in  his  native  chaparral,  how- 
ever, is  one  of  the  wariest  of  birds,  suspicious  to  a  degree,  and  show- 
ing marked  intelligence  in  eluding  observation  or  capture.  At  the 
first  suspicion  of  pursuit  he  is  off,  skimming  close  over  the  ground 
to  the  shelter  of  some  thick  bush  at  a  distance.  He  does  not  stop 
there,  though,  but  at  once  emerges  from  the  far  side  for  another 
flight.  This  is  repeated  again,  and  yet  again,  with  intervals  of 
short  runs,  perhaps  (for  the  cactus  wren  sprints  like  a  thrasher), 
until  the  threatening  danger  is  safely  outdistanced. 

The  cactus  wren  is  not  a  musician,  about  the  only  sound  to  which 
he  gives  utterance  being  a  harsh,  chuckling  call,  not  at  all  loud  or 
far-reaching.  There  is  a  suggestion  of  derision  in  this  call  note, 
as  given  from  some  dense  thicket  into  which  the  bird  has  plunged 
or  from  what  he  deems  a  safe  distance. 

In  southern  California  the  cactus  wren  has  practically  disap- 
peared from  those  regions  that  have  been  cleared  of  chaparral,  but 
in  Arizona  I  was  pleased  to  note  numerous  instances  where  the 
birds  seemed  to  have  become  reconciled  to  changes  that  had  resulted 
in  the  removal  of  all  desert  vegetation.  On  the  grounds  of  the 
State  capitol,  at  Phoenix,  on  May  29,  several  were  seen  foraging  on 
the  lawns  and  pursuing  one  another  through  the  palms  and  other 
ornamental  shrubbery. 

In  cultivated  land  near  Tempe  cactus  wrens  were  seen  repeatedly 
in  brush  piles  or  shrubbery  near  the  farmhouses,  where  there  cer- 
tainly was  no  cactus  or  other  desert  vegetation  for  miles.  Instances 


BIRDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGUARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT.         31 

came  to  my  notice,  too,  of  the  birds  coming  familiarly  about  houses, 
so  it  seems  that  this  dweller  in  the  wilderness  is  in  this  region 
becoming  somewhat  used  to  civilized  surroundings. 

The  cactus  wren  was  seen  about  Phoenix,  on  the  Papago  Saguaro 
Monument,  in  and  about  Tempe,  and  at  many  points  along  the 
stage  road  between  this  point  and  the  foothills.  About  Roosevelt 
Lake  it  is  a  fairly  common  species  wherever  there  is  sufficient  brush 
to  afford  shelter.  In  the  vicinity  of  Globe  several  broods  of  young 
were  seen.  In  all  this  region  the  cactus  wren  remains  the  year 
through  wherever  it  occurs. 

VERDIN. 

Auriparus  flaviceps  flaviceps  (Sundevall). 

Recognition  marks. — Of  small  size;  in  fact,  the  smallest  of  desert 
birds  save  the  hummingbirds  and  gnatcatchers ;  about  ty  inches  long ; 
short  tail.  Coloration  grayish;  adult  with  yellow  head  and  chestnut 
patch  on  shoulder. 

Occurrence. — The  presence  of  the  verdin  will  doubtless  first  be- 
come known  to  most  people  through  discovery  of  its  nests.  These 
structures,  old  and  new,  adorn  so  many  of  the  thorny  desert  bushes 
that  one  can  not  travel  far  without  having  them  brought  to  notice, 
though  the  tiny  little  builders  themselves  are  so  shy  and  inconspicu- 
ous as  to  require  careful  and  persistent  pursuit  for  satisfactory 
acquaintance. 

The  verdin  has  the  same  notions  as  the  cactus  wren  as  to  the 
proper  style  of  a  nest,  for  the  homes  the  two  species  build  are  very 
closely  similar  in  shape  and  structure.  The  verdin,  however,  does 
not  dwell  in  the  cactus,  but  suspends  his  home  in  other  shrubbery, 
usually  far  out  on  the  smaller  twigs,  safe  from  climbing  animals, 
though  conspicuously  in  view.  It  is,  of  course,  of  smaller  size  than 
the  cactus  wren's  nest,  being  about  8  to  10  inches  long  and  some  5  or 
6  inches  in  diameter  in  external  measurements,  and  it  is  rather  more 
compactly  woven,  though  of  coarser  material,  the  outside  being  of 
relatively  large  and  thorny  twigs. 

Search  for  the  builder  is  at  first  quite  apt  to  be  fruitless,  but  as 
one  walks  over  the  desert  there  comes  to  the  ear  occasionally  a  faint, 
lisping  note,  apparently  from  some  distance.  This  is  the  verdin,  not 
nearly  so  far  away  as  he  seems,  but  keeping  well  out  of  sight  in  the 
bushes,  and,  if  his  shelter  be  too  closely  approached,  slipping  un- 
obtrusively away  to  a  more  distant  thicket.  If,  as  is  often  the  case, 
there  happens  to  be  a  breeze  stirring,  he  is  even  more  elusive  than 
usual,  for  he  seems  to  prefer  those  bushes  that  are  being  most  vio- 
lently whipped  about,  and  he  is  so  tiny  and  so  inconspicuously  colored 
as  to  be  able  to  flit  from  place  to  place  without  attracting  attention. 


32          BIRDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGUARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT. 

The  species  was  fairly  common  on  the  Papago  Saguaro  Monument, 
but  was  not  encountered  on  cultivated  ground.  About  Roosevelt 
Lake  it  is  a  common  species.  At  Globe,  on  July  6,  a  flock  of  seven 
or  eight  verdins  was  seen,  probably  a  brood  of  young,  newly  emerged 
from  the  nest,  and  still  attended  by  their  parents. 

WESTERN  KINGBIRD. 
Tyrannus  verticalis  Say. 

Recognition  marks. — Usually  seen  perched  conspicuously  on  fence 
post,  telephone  pole,  or  other  point  commanding  unobstructed  view 
of  the  surroundings.  About  9  inches  long;  above,  grayish;  belly, 
yellow ;  tail,  black,  narrowly  edged  with  white. 

Occurrence. — Kingbirds,  of  whatever  species,  are  much  alike  in 
most  of  their  traits,  and  the  western  kingbird  lives  up  to  the  tradi- 
tions of  his  tribe.  A  king  among  birds,  he  may  serve  as  the  type  of 
a  benevolent  despot,  for,  though  not  especially  quarrelsome  with 
small  and  harmless  birds,  he  will  not  tolerate  the  presence  of  any 
threatening  hawk  or  soaring  eagle  about  his  home  and  family.  The 
propensity  of  the  kingbird  to  drive  off  such  enemies  is  familiar  to 
most  farmers,  for  the  species  is  fond  of  nesting  about  buildings ;  in 
defending  its  own  home  it  incidentally  serves  as  watchdog  for  the 
chicken  yard.  Were  it  not  for  his  unfortunate  reputation  in  some 
sections  as  a  devourer  of  bees,  the  kingbird  would  doubtless  receive 
everywhere  unreserved  approbation  and  protection.  Popular  legend 
has  it  (and  the  tale  is  repeated  in  all  parts  of  the  country,  though  on 
how  substantial  grounds  I  can  not  say)  that  his  crown  of  red  feathers, 
sometimes  revealed  and  sometimes  hidden,  serves,  when  exposed,  as  a 
lure  for  flower-hunting  bees,  and  perhaps  for  other  insects  also,  who, 
when  attracted  within  reach  by  this  gaudy,  blossomlike  bait,  are 
snapped  up  with  a  minimum  of  exertion  on  the  part  of  the  bird. 

Kingbirds  are  well  known  to  take  advantage  of  the  most  extraordi- 
nary nooks  and  corners  for  building  sites — fence  posts,  swinging 
gates,  or  in  fact  almost  any  such  elevation  being  utilized  in  a 
treeless  region ;  but  in  the  cultivated  parts  of  the  Salt  River  Valley 
the  western  kingbirds  were  moved  with  wondrous  unanimity  to 
adopt  a  site  that  to  the  human  observer  seemed  singularly  unfitted 
to  the  purpose.  The  species  has  evidently  increased  greatly  in  num- 
bers in  those  sections  now  under  cultivation,  the  green  alfalfa  and 
cotton  fields  doubtless  supplying  a  far  greater  quantity  of  insect 
food  than  the  dry  desert ;  but,  even  so,  there  seemed  to  be  trees  suffi- 
cient along  the  roads  to  care  for  the  birds'  needs  without  their  being 
driven  to  the  curious  expedient  they  used. 

The  poles  supporting  electric  wires  through  this  region  are  of 
metal,  formed  of  three  uprights  tapering  to  a  junction  some  50 


BIEDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGUAKO   NATIONAL,  MONUMENT.         33 

feet  from  the  ground  and  with  connecting  crossbars  at  intervals. 
On  the  topmost  crossbars  there  is  just  room  for  a  nest,  wedged 
in  between  the  uprights,  and  this  is  the  place  universally  chosen.  It 
seems  a  peculiar  preference  to  select  a  place  so  exposed  to  the 
glaring  sun  rather  than  the  shady  cottonwoods  along  the  road- 
side; but  the  kingbirds  of  the  country  are  so  evidently  of  one  mind 
as  to  the  suitability  of  their  choice  that  there  is  a  nest,  new  or  old, 
in  every  third  or  fourth  pole  along  the  roads. 

The  western  kingbird  occurs  in  some  numbers  about  Eoosevelt 
Lake,  and  is  one  of  the  species  that  was  seen  regularly  about  the 
hotel.  In  the  near-by  Sierra  Ancha  it  is  replaced  by  the  closely 
similar  Cassin  kingbird  (Tyrannus  vociferans}. 

DWARF   COWBIRD. 

Molothrus  ater  obscurus  (Gmelin). 

Recognition  marks. — About  7£  inches  long.  Male,  glossy  black, 
with  brown  head;  female,  uniform  dull  brownish;  eye,  brown.  No 
red,  white,  or  other  contrasting  markings  in  either  sex. 

Occurrence. — In  all  the  valleys  of  southern  Arizona  the  dwarf 
cowbird  occurs  in  numbers  during  the  summer  months.  Through 
the  winter  it  is  found  commonly  in  the  valley  of  the  Colorado  River, 
but  apparently  not  elsewhere  in  the  State.  Cowbirds  are  common 
through  the  country  traversed  by  the  Apache  Trail,  usually  seen  in 
small  flocks,  quite  free  of  the  care  and  worry  of  family  duties.  The 
species  is  especially  numerous,  together  with  the  redwings,  in  the  irri- 
gated farming  lands,  where  cultivation  of  the  ground  produces  an 
abundance  of  food;  while  the  presence  of  cattle  and  horses  provides 
associations  to  which  the  cowbird  is  especially  addicted,  as  is  in- 
dicated by  the  bird's  name.  The  species  may  be  seen  also,  however, 
over  the  most  arid  desert;  in  fact,  certain  of  the  desert  birds  are 
among  those  most  frequently  victimized  by  the  cowbird.  The 
plumbeous  gnatcatcher  is  one  that  seems  especially  to  suffer  from 
the  cowbird's  visitations ;  it  is  an  especially  pathetic  sight  to  see  one 
of  these  tiny  birds  acting  as  parent,  and  poking  hopelessly  in- 
adequate mouthfuls  of  food  into  the  gaping  bill  of  her  enormous 
foster  child.  One  can  imagine  the  gnatcatcher's  feelings  of  relief 
when  the  strain  is  over  and  the  foundling  has  betaken  himself  to  his 
kindred;  but  with  the  relaxation  following  the  deliverance  there 
must  be  a  feeling  of  having  passed  through  a  peculiarly  wearing 
summer  with  nothing  to  show  for  it  at  the  end. 

The  dwarf  cowbird  does  not,  as  a  rule,  ascend  the  mountains  above 

the  foothills,  but  aside  from  this  the  species  is  not  closely  bound  by 

environmental  conditions.    As  long  as  other  small  birds  are  able  to 

build  nests  and  rear  young  the  cowbird  is  willing  to  put  up  with  the 

153688°— 20 3 


34         BIRDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGTJARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT. 

surroundings,  and  will  not  place  personal  prejudices  above  the  gen- 
eral good. 

This  is  one  of  the  species  that  was  of  daily  occurrence  about  "  The 
Lodge  "  at  Roosevelt  during  my  visits  there  in  June  and  July.  Small 
flocks  would  appear  from  time  to  time,  especially  toward  evening, 
when  they  would  rest  a  few  moments  in  some  of  the  small  trees  about 
the  hotel  before  starting  out  on  what  appeared  to  be  a  long  flight, 
perhaps  to  some  distant  roost. 

DESERT  SPARROW. 

AmpJiispisa  Mlineata  deserticola  Kidgway. 

Recognition  marks. — About  5|  inches  long.  Frequents  the  ground 
or  low  bushes.  Adults  with  a  black  area  covering  chin,  throat,  and 
upper  breast,  pointed  below,  sharply  defined  and  conspicuously  out- 
lined against  the  whitish  lower  parts.  Two  narrow,  white  lines  on 
side  of  head,  one  over  the  eye,  the  other  extending  diagonally  down- 
ward from  corner  of  mouth.  Outer  tail  feather,  edged  and  tipped 
with  white.  As  the  bird  flies  the  tail  appears  blackish,  as  contrasted 
with  the  lighter  colored  upper  parts.  Young  birds  lack  the  black 
throat;  chin  and  throat  white,  breast  streaked  with  grayish  or 
brownish  markings. 

Occurrence. — The  desert  sparrow,  for  reasons  of  his  own,  does  not 
regard  with  favor  the  lowlands  west  of  the  Superstition  Mountains, 
and  none  was  seen  in  this  section.  The  species  has  been  taken  here 
in  the  winter  months,  but  appears  to  seek  somewhat  higher  altitudes 
for  nesting.  About  Roosevelt  Lake  it  is  one  of  the  most  abundant 
birds,  as  it  is  also  along  the  road  to  Globe,  and,  from  the  latter  point, 
throughout  the  valleys  to  the  southward. 

In  June,  at  Roosevelt  Lake,  young  and  old  together  were  gathered 
in  little  flocks,  scattered  through  the  brush,  and  taking  flight  one 
by  one  when  approached  too  near.  The  male  birds,  presumably,  were 
everywhere  perched  upon  low  bushes,  giving  continual  utterance 
to  their  tinkling  song.  The  desert  sparrow  in  many  ways  is  very 
junco-like,  the  chittering  alarm  note,  the  song,  and  the  bird's  actions 
in  flight  or  feeding  being  all  strongly  suggestive  of  his  mountain 
cousin. 

The  nest  is  usually  placed  in  some  low  shrub,  from  a  few  inches  to 
2  feet  above  the  ground,  and  constructed  of  shreds  of  bark,  small 
twigs,  or  grass.  The  eggs,  three  or  four  in  number,  as  a  rule,  are 
white,  faintly  tinged  with  bluish  green,  and  sometimes  with  a  few 
fine  black  specks  at  the  large  end. 

This  is  a  bird  of  the  desert,  haunting  the  most  barren  wastes,  fre- 
quently many  miles  from  water,  and  but  seldom  seen  even  in  the  bot- 
tom lands  of  such  streams  as  traverse  its  desert  home.  It  occurs  in 


BIRDS  OF  THE  PAP  AGO  SAGUARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT.         35 

Arizona  the  year  through,  though  its  exact  distribution  in  summer 
and  winter,  as  well  as  the  local  migrations  that  occur,  remain  to  be 
worked  out.  As  shown  by  the  manner  of  occurrence  of  the  species 
over  the  Apache  Trail,  it  is  not  found  nesting  in  every  one  of  the 
desert  valleys.  In  winter  it  is  apparently  of  general  distribution 
throughout  the  lowlands  of  southern  Arizona. 

PHAIffOPEPLA. 

Phainopepla  nitens  (Swainson). 

Recognition  marks. — Size  small,  total  length  about  8  inches.  Both 
sexes  with  a  long  crest  on  top  of  head,  usually  carried  erect.  Adult 
male,  glossy  black;  white  on  inner  webs  of  primaries,  showing  as  a 
large  white  spot  when  the  wing  is  extended,  visible  usually  only  in 
flight.  Adult  female  and  young,  plain  brownish  gray,  the  white  wing 
patch  less  conspicuously  contrasted  with  the  rest  of  the  plumage. 

Occurrence. — To  the  visitor  from  the  east  the  first  view  of  this 
bird  brings  an  unfailing  thrill  of  pleased  surprise.  Restricted  to  the 
southwest,  of  striking  appearance,  and  totally  different  from  any 
other  North  American  bird,  the  phainopepla  is  sure  to  attract  atten- 
tion. Perhaps  the  finest  written  account  of  such  a  first  impression  is 
that  given  by  Dr.  Coues,-1  one  of  the  earliest  of  Arizona  ornitholo- 
gists: 

While  roaming  about  in  Arizona,  sometimes  hunting  for  birds  and  sometimes 
for  Indians,  I  used  at  intervals  to  see  a  bird  that  I  did  not  then  know,  and  that 
I  came  to  regard  at  last  as  great  "  medicine,"  so  persistently  did  it  elude  me — 
now  I  could  not  get  a  shot  at  the  shy  thing — now  a  fair  shot  offered,  but  we 
had  orders  not  to  shoot  for  fear  of  discovery.  It  was  a  beautiful  jet-black  crea- 
ture, showing  a  pair  of  white  disks,  one  on  each  side,  when  it  flew ;  generally 
seen  amidst  dense  chaparral,  dashing  about  with  a  nervous  yet  lightsome  flight, 
reminding  one  of  the  action  of  a  mockingbird ;  now  for  a  moment  balancing  with 
expanding  wings  and  tail  on  some  prominent  spray,  then  darting  into  the  air 
to  secure  a  passing  insect,  or  hurrying  out  of  sight  in  the  safe  recesses  of  the 
covert.  A  rather  harsh  and  querulous  note,  which  I  learned  to  associate  with 
this  wild  and  restless  bird,  was  sometimes  heard;  and  once  I  listened  to  a 
superb  piece  of  music  which  I  am  perfectly  sure  came  from  this  mysterious 
stranger.  It  was  growing  dusk:  the  scene,  the  camp  of  a  scouting-party  re- 
turning from  unsuccessful  pursuit  of  some  Indians,  who  had  raided  and  run  off 
our  beef,  and  men  busy  gathering  for  burial  the  charred  and  dismembered 
body  of  a  comrade,  who  had  been  killed  and  burned  a  few  days  before  on  that 
very  spot,  where  the  wolves  had  afterward  fought  for  the  remains.  The  bird 
of  omen,  for  good  or  bad,  appeared  in  somber  cerements,  and  sang  such  a  requiem 
as  touched  every  heart ;  the  camp  grew  more  quiet  than  usual,  and  we  went  to 
bed  early. 

It  speaks  little  for  the  imagination  of  those  familiar  with  the 
species  in  life  that  so  conspicuous  a  bird  should  not  have  been  given 

1  Birds  Col.  Val.,  1878,  p.  476. 


36          BIRDS  OF  THE  PAP  AGO  SAGUARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT. 

some  appropriate  vernacular  name.  In  some  sections  it  used  to  be 
known  as  the  black  mocker,  from  its  appearance  in  flight,  which 
suggests  that  of  the  better  known  mockingbird,  but  I  have  not  heard 
this  name  used  in  recent  years.  The  bird  is  known  everywhere,  but 
is  always  nameless.  Of  book  names  there  are  plenty.  "  Crested 
shining-black  white-winged  flysnapper"  is  descriptive,  but  hardly 
concise  enough  for,  everyday  use.  "  Shining  ptilogonys "  is  worse 
than  the  name  in  use.  "  Phainopepla  ",  in  its  meaning  (shining  robe) 
is  appropriate,  and  it  is  perhaps  the  best  that  we  can  do.  It  is, 
after  all.  no  worse  than  certain  other  scientific  names  of  animals  and 
plants  that  have  come  into  common  use. 

The  phainopepla,  while  originally  a  bird  of  the  desert  or  of  the 
chaparral  of  the  foothills,  has  no  objection  to  towns  as  such,  and 
provided  there  is  an  abundant  supply  of  pepper  tree  or  elder  berries, 
or  similar  food,  readily  becomes  tame  and  familiar  in  urban  sur- 
roundings. It  can,  perhaps,  be  observed  more  easily  and  at  a  closer 
range  in  the  parks  and  gardens  of  Phoenix  and  Tempe  than  out  on 
the  desert,  where  it  is  apt  to  be  wary  and  unapproachable. 

Phainopeplas  were  seen  practically  everywhere  along  the  Apache 
Trail :  in  Phoenix  and  Tempe,  on  the  Papago  Saguaro  Monument 
and  in  the  willows  of  the  near-by  river  bed,  at  points  along  the  road 
to  Roosevelt,  about  the  shores  of  the  lake,  at  Globe,  and  from  the 
train  at  many  points  between  Globe  and  Bowie.  Wherever  encoun- 
tered the  birds  were  drifting  aimlessly  about,  apparently  with  no 
home  ties,  and  no  nests  were  observed. 

ZONE-TAILED  HAWK. 
Sutco  abbreviqtus  Cabanis. 

Recognition  marks. — A  large  hawk  of  the  soaring  type ;  somewhat 
like  a  redtail  in  outline  and  actions,  but  of  different  coloration ;  much 
more  likely  to  be  mistaken  for  a  turkey  vulture.  Adult,  uniform 
black;  tail  crossed  by  three  bands,  white  when  viewed  from  below, 
gray  above.  Immature,  with  tail  lacking  the  distinct  bars,  but 
irregularly  mottled  with  white  or  grayish. 

Occurrence. — On  June  5,  as  the  stage  swung  down  the  steep  incline 
into  Fish  Creek  Canyon,  a  hawk  of  jet  black  hue  appeared,  circling 
overhead.  He  came  nearer  and  nearer,  until,  turning  with  wide- 
spread wings  and  tail,  he  was  close  enough  to  afford  a  clear  view  of 
the  pure  white  bar  across  the  center  of  the  tail. 

About  a  month  later,  on  July  3, 1  was  walking  up  the  little  canyon 
south  of  Roosevelt  Lake  where  there  is  situated  a  group  of  cliff 
dwellings.  As  I  neared  the  spring  that  rises  a  little  way  up  the 
canyon,  a  zone-tailed  hawk  flew  hurriedly  from  the  trees  overhead. 
The  load  of  dust  shot  mistakenly  sent  after  him  had  no  result  other 


BIRDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGUARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT.         37 

than  to  make  the  startled  hawk  let  fall  a  burden  he  was  carrying. 
This  proved  to  be  an  adult  male  desert  quail,  still  alive,  probably 
having  been  taken  from  a  flock  we  heard  calling  in  the  bushes  nearby. 

A  zone-tail,  shot  near  the  summit  of  the  Sierra  Ancha  on  June  26, 
had  in  his  stomach  the  remains  of  a  Gila  chipmunk.1  Although,  as  he 
circles  about  on  lazy  wings,  or  drifts  slowly  across  a  canyon,  the  zone- 
tail  appears  too  sluggish  for  any  rapid  action,  the  capture  of  the 
chipmunk  by  this  individual  speaks  volumes  for  the  speed  that  can 
be  attained  when  necessary.  If  there  is  any  small  mammal  that  is 
harder  to  see  in  the  brush  or  that  can  get  out  of  sight  with  greater 
speed  than  the  Gila  chipmunk  it  should  be  safe  from  any  danger. 
Merely  to  catch  sight  of  one  of  these  animals,  though  they  be  heard 
chipping  in  the  bushes  all  around,  is  no  small  feat ;  while  for  a  hawk 
to  lay  talons  on  one,  in  his  chosen  haunt  of  underbrush,  logs,  and 
rocks,  bespeaks  a  swoop  of  lightning  speed. 

Once  as  a  zone-tailed  hawk  passed  overhead  several  band-tailed 
pigeons  darted  out  of  some  oak  trees  below,  so  startled  that  they 
nearly  struck  me,  two  of  them  separating  and  passing  on  either  side. 
At  the  time  I  thought  their  nervousness  uncalled  for,  but  in  the 
light  of  the  subsequent  discoveries  I  made  as  regards  the  food  of  the 
zone-tail  they  were  probably  justified  in  their  frantic  departure. 

In  flight  this  hawk  bears  a  striking  resemblance  to  the  turkey 
vulture.  The  general  dark  coloration,  of  course,  is  very  much  the 
same  in  the  two  species,  while  in  addition  the  outline  of  the  extended 
wings,  color  pattern  of  the  under  surface  of  the  wing,  and  manner 
of  flight  are  all  so  very  similar  that  the  hawk  could  easily  escape 
recognition.  Of  course,  the  white  band  across  the  center  of  the  tail 
is  unmistakable,  but  this  marking  is  not  always  conspicuous  and 
may  entirely  escape  observation. 

The  zone-tailed  hawk,  though  quite  generally  distributed  in  south- 
ern Arizona  during  the  summer  months,  is  not  abundant  anywhere. 
It  has  been  found  breeding  at  several  points  in  the  State  and  its 
nesting  habits  in  this  region  are  described  in  detail  by  Dr.  Mearns.2 

In  the  history  of  a  nest  of  this  hawk  situated  in  the  Rincon  Moun- 
tains, and  possibly  still  in  existence — for  hawks'  nests  sometimes  last 
for  many  years — there  is  an  incident  of  considerable  historical  in- 
terest, as  illustrative  of  the  dangers  accompanying  bird  study  in 
Arizona  in  the  early  days.  The  first  resident  ornithologist  of 
Arizona,  Herbert  Brown,  has  described  the  occurrence  as  follows : 

In  a  small  canyon  in  the  western  foothills  of  the  Rincon  Mountains,  about  21 
or  22  miles  east  of  Tucson,  stands  a  medium-sized  cottonwood  tree  in  which 
hawks  have  nested  for  many  years.  The  old  stick  pile  on  which  so  many  gen- 
erations of  birds  have  been  raised  has  become  quite  bulky  through  its  annual 
accretion.  In  the  spring  of  1886  I  was  told  by  parties  coming  in  from  the  San 

1  Eutamias  dorsalis.  2  Auk,    III,    1886,   pp.    60-69. 


38         BIRDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGUARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT. 

Pedro  that  a  pair  of  "  black  hawks  "  had  taken  possession  of  the  old  nest.  As 
such  birds  were  not  common  thereabouts  the  statement  was  worth  looking  into. 
I  reached  the  tree  just  before  sundown  and  to  my  delight  I  found  things  as 
represented  and  that  one  bird  then  occupied  the  nest.  It  was  black,  sure  enough, 
and  resented  interference  with  many  angry  screams  as  it  circled  above  the 
tree.  It  proved  to  be  a  male  band-tailed  buzzard  (Buteo  abbreviatus) .  Un- 
fortunately the  female,  although  seen  at  a  distance,  failed  to  respond  to  the 
cries  of  her  mate,  and  what  was  still  more  unfortunate  the  nest  contained  no 
eggs.  It  had  been  newly  lined  with  leaves  from  the  tree  and  was  apparently 
ready  for  housekeeping.  I  waited  till  noon  the  day  following  in  the  hope  of 
being  able  to  make  a  closer  acquaintance  with  the  mate  of  the  bird  I  then  had, 
but  had  to  leave  without  being  thus  privileged. 

I  subsequently  learned  from  the  late  Major  Chas.  E.  Bendire  that  he  had,  dur- 
ing the  spring  of  1872,  climbed  this  same  cottonwood  tree  and  had  examined 
the  nest  in  question.  He  was  at  that  time  camped  on  the  Rillito  and  had, 
while  scouting,  seen  the  nest.  Some  days  later,  as  no  hostile  Indians  were 
known  to  be  about,  he  returned  to  the  tree  and  climbed  to  the  nest,  which  is 
located  in  a  fork  of  the  tree  about  40  feet  up.  While  examining  the  nest  he 
happened  to  look  in  the  direction  of  the  opposite  hill  and  saw  an  Indian  watch- 
ing him  from  behind  a  giant  cactus  with  which  the  hills  thereabouts  are  thickly 
covered.  To  be  caught  meant  a  lingering  death  at  the  stake,  to  escape,  under 
the  circumstances,  seemed  almost  impossible,  but  he  did.  He  pretended  not  to 
have  seen  the  Indian  and  after  having  apparently  satisfied  himself  about  the 
nest  he  slowly  descended  the  tree,  but  no  sooner  did  his  feet  touch  the  ground 
than  he  made  a  run  for  his  horse  which  was  tied  a  short  distance  below.  As 
he  did  so  about  30  Indians  gave  chase,  but  he  fortunately  got  away.1 

TEXAS  NIGHTHAWK. 
Chordeiles  acutipennis  texensis  Lawrence. 

Recognition  marks. — Usually  seen  flying.  A  medium-sized 
brownish-colored  bird,  about  9  inches  in  length,  with  long  pointed 
wings.  On  each  wing  a  round  spot,  white  in  the  adult  male,  yellowish 
in  female  and  young,  conspicuous  in  flight. 

Occurrence. — In  all  the  valley  towns  of  southern  Arizona  the  Texas 
nighthawk  is  a  familiar  sight.  It  has  not,  as  yet,  acquired  the  habit 
cf  its  eastern  relative  of  nesting  upon  the  flat  roofs  of  buildings,  but 
throughout  the  summer  the  birds  may  be  seen  in  numbers  at  dusk, 
hawking  about,  low  over  the  houses.  In  walking  about  on  the  desert 
one  is  sure  to  flush  Texas  nighthawks  from  their  resting  places 
under  the  bushes,  where  they  usually  remain  during  the  daytime. 
Though  preferably  feeding  at  dusk,  they  are  by  no  means  helpless 
in  the  bright  light  of  day.  In  fact,  they  do  not  appear  to  be  par- 
ticularly discommoded  by  the  glare  of  the  sun,  and  may  be  seen 
going  through  their  courting  antics  at  any  hour. 

The  male  Texas  nighthawk  performs  no  such  spectacular  evolu- 
tions as  the  eastern  nighthawk  does  in  the  breeding  season,  but  he 

1  Brown,  H.,  Auk,  XVIII,  1901,  pp.  392-393. 


BIRDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGUARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT.         39 

has  a  comparable,  though  lesser  performance,  usually  given  when 
in  pursuit  of  the  female.  Both  birds  flying  low  over  the  bushes, 
the  male  repeatedly  utters  a  low,  chuckling  sound,  "  tuc-tuc-tuc-a- 
tuc-tuc — c-r-rooo,"  a  rolling  note,  the  finale  very  dove-like  in  effect. 
While  uttering  this  call  the  wings  are  held  stiffly  extended  downward. 
Then,  in  ordinary  flight,  there  is  repeatedly  given  a  long  drawn, 
nasal  "  w-a-ng." 

The  Texas  nighthawk  is  a  summer  visitant  in  Arizona,  retiring  to 
more  southern  latitudes  during  the  winter  months.  It  has  been 
observed  along  the  Colorado  River  from  April  9  to  October  5;  in 
the  central  part  of  the  State  it  is  probably  some  weeks  later  in  arriv- 
ing, and  possibly  earlier  in  departure. 

The  eggs  are  two  in  number,  grayish  or  cream  colored,  and  finely 
speckled  or  marbled  with  darker  markings.  This  coloration  is  in 
excellent  imitation  of  the  sandy  or  gravelly  ground  upon  which  they 
rest,  for  no  nest  building  is  attempted.  The  resemblance  of  eggs  to 
background  is  so  perfect  that  the  closest  scrutiny  is  required  to  reveal 
their  presence,  even  though  departure  of  the  brooding  female  indi- 
cates their  proximity. 

Texas  nighthawks  are  abundant  in  the  Salt  River  Valley.  On  the 
Papago  Saguaro  Monument  they  were  flushed  during  the  daytime 
from  beneath  bushes;  in  Tempe  they  were  seen  of  evenings  soaring 
over  the  town.  About  Roosevelt  Lake  several  were  startled  from 
their  resting  places  beneath  the  bushes,  but  the  species  was  not 
abundant  at  this  point. 

ARIZONA  CRESTED   FLYCATCHER. 

Myiarchus  magister  magister  Ridgway. 

Recognition  marks. — About  10  inches  in  length,  of  which  the  tail 
is  nearly  half.  In  color,  above  dark  brownish,  below  with  gray 
throat  and  yellowish  belly.  Wings  and  tail  appear  decidedly  red- 
dish when  outspread  in  flight. 

Occurrence. — Visitors  from  the  eastern  United  States  comparing 
the  Arizona  bird  with  the  eastern  crested  flycatcher  (Myiarchus 
crinitus)  will  find  the  two  of  about  the  same  size,  but  the  Arizona 
bird  with  longer  tail  and  of  appreciably  paler  coloration.  California 
bird  students,  making  comparison  with  the  ash-throated  flycatcher 
(J/.  cinerascens),  will  find  the  Arizona  crested  flycatcher  very  simi- 
lar in  color  and  proportions,  but  of  greater  size.  To  distinguish  be- 
tween these  two  latter  species  is  not  always  an  easy  matter.  The 
ash-throat  inhabits  large  portions  of  Arizona  where  the  Arizona 
crested  flycatcher  does  not  occur,  but  it  is  also  found,  apparently, 
throughout  the  range  of  the  latter  species.  The  difference  in  size 
between  the  two  is  readily  appreciable  when  it  is  possible  to  make 


40         BIRDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGUARO   NATIONAL  MONUMENT. 

comparisons,  but  in  the  field,  seeing  one  bird  at  a  time,  it  is  easy  to 
make  mistakes.  This  is  especially  true  in  a  desert  region  where 
atmospheric  conditions  are  sometimes  such  that  a  coyote  may  appear 
as  large  as  a  steer  or  a  soaring  swallow  like  an  eagle.  There  is  no 
certain  criterion  for  distinguishing  at  all  times  between  these  two 
closely-related  flycatchers,  but  a  majority  of  the  birds  seen  may  be 
placed  with  reasonable  certainty.  Where  both  species  occur  the 
ash-throat  is  not  as  common  as  the  other.  In  favorable  light,  or  at 
close  range,  either  species  may  be  readily  distinguished  by  its  size. 
There  are  differences  in  the  call  notes,  but  both  species  are  noisy,  and 
each  has  a  variety  of  notes  that  must  be  learned  by  experience  to  be 
distinguished  one  from  the  other. 

The  Arizona  crested  flycatcher  is  in  Arizona  a  summer  visitor 
'only.  As  during  the  nesting  season  it  is  apparently  restricted  to  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  giant  cactus,  its  range  in  the  United  States  is 
practically  restricted  to  southern  Arizona  and  to  only  those  sections 
of  Arizona  where  the  big  cactus  occurs.  Egg  laying  takes  place 
early  in  June.  During  the  first  two  weeks  in  June,  1903,  the  writer 
examined  some  8  or  10  nests  found  in  the  vicinity  of  Tucson.  These 
were  all  in  woodpecker  holes  in  giant  cactus  from  15  to  25  feet  from 
the  ground  and  contained  each  from  three  to  five  eggs.  The  nests 
were  composed  mainly  of  hair  taken  from  dead  horses  and  cattle, 
the  cavities  in  consequence  reeking  of  carrion  rather  overpower- 
ingly.  Usually  there  were  pieces  of  cast  snake  skin  in  the  nests,  as  so 
often  occurs  in  all  the  flycatchers  of  this  genus,  and  occasionally  a 
mummified  owl  or  woodpecker  underneath. 

The  Arizona  crested  flycatcher  was  seen  on  the  Papago  Saguaro 
Monument,  but  not  commonly,  perhaps  8  or  10  individuals,  all  told, 
being  observed.  About  Roosevelt  Lake  the  species  seemed  scarce. 
One  was  seen  in  the  canyon  below  the  cliff  dwellings  nearest  the 
lake,  and  one  or  two  others  on  the  mesa  between  the  lake  and  the 
foothills  of  the  Sierra  Ancha. 

DESERT  QUAIL. 

Lophortyx  gambeli  Gambel. 

Recognition  marks. — From  the  other  birds  with  which  it  is  asso- 
ciated the  desert  quail  is,  of  course,  distinguished  by  all  the  attri- 
butes common  to  the  quail  family,  of  which  the  strong,  whirring 
flight  is  most  apt  to  first  draw  the  observer's  attention.  Among  the 
several  species  of  quail  occurring  in  Arizona  it  is  at  once  recognized 
by  its  club-shaped  top  knot.  In  general  appearance,  color,  and  mark- 
ings  it  is  sufficiently  like  the  California  quail  so  that  the  two  are 
frequently  confused,  but  the  latter  does  not  occur  in  Arizona,  and 
need  cause  no  trouble  in  this  connection. 


BIRDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGTJAEO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT.         41 

Occurrence. — Even  the  most  casual  observer,  hastening  through 
the  country  in  swift-moving  auto,  or  perhaps  never  even  leaving  the 
railroad  coach,  can  not  help  but  have  this  abundant  game  bird 
brought  to  his  attention.  All  along  the  stage  rOad,  from  Tempe 
to  Roosevelt  and  from  Roosevelt  to  Globe,  single  birds,  pairs,  or  little 
companies  of  five  or  six,  took  flight  from  either  side,  or  scurried  to 
shelter  on  legs  moving  so  rapidly  as  to  appear  as  a  fuzzy  blur. 
About  Roosevelt,  from  time  to  time,  broods  of  tiny  young  were  en- 
countered (this  was  in  June),  sometimes  buzzing  up  on  all  sides, 
like  overgrown  bumble  bees,  in  comical  imitation  of  their  parents' 
roaring  burst  of  wings,  with  bodies  not  much  bigger  than  sparrows, 
but  well  able  to  fly.  Quite  often  the  broods  trotted  along  under  the 
bushes  without  flying,  the  old  birds  somewhat  solicitous,  and  urging 
the  youngsters  to  cover  as  rapidly  as  possible. 

At  Carr's  ranch  in  the  Sierra  Ancha  (nearly  6,000  feet  altitude), 
Mr.  Carr  had  introduced  the  species,  bringing  young  birds  up  from 
the  valley  some  years  before.  They  had  not  thrived,  however 
(scarcely  a  matter  for  surprise,  considering  the  difference  in  the  sur- 
roundings), and  at  the  time  of  my  visit  their  numbers  had  been 
reduced  to  a  pair  or  two.  At  least  one  pair  raised  a  brood  this  year, 
however,  and  the  young  birds  seemed  to  be  doing  well.  It  was  a  dis- 
tinct shock  to  be  greeted  by  the  unmistakable  call  note  of  this  desert 
species  amid  yellow  pines  and  white  oaks,  and,  until  the  explanation 
came,  most  disquieting  to  one's  sense  of  the  fitness  of  things. 

The  desert  quail,  as  a  rule,  builds  its  nest  upon  the  ground  as 
other  quail  do,  but  in  southern  Arizona  it  has  been  known  occasion- 
ally to  utilize  old  thrasher  or  cactus  wren  nests,  several  feet  up  in 
cactus  or  bushes. 

WHITE-WINGED  DOVE. 

MelopeUa  asiatica  trudeaui  (Audubon). 

Recognition  marks. — Unmistakably  pigeon-like  in  appearance  and 
actions ;  a  crescent-shaped  white  patch  on  each  wing  and  white  band 
across  tip  of  tail,  conspicuous  in  flight.  As  compared  with  the 
mourning  dove,  the  white-winged  dove  is  of  heavier  build  and  with 
square-tipped  instead  of  pointed  tail. 

Occurrence. — Throughout  the  valleys  of  southern  Arizona  the 
white-winged  dovey^or  Sonora  pigeorKas  it  is  generally  known,  is 
an  abundant  summer  "visiteF. — Mesqlute-grown  bottom  lands  form 
the  favorite  breeding  resort,  and  it  is  there  or  in  cultivated  fields 
that  the  white-wings  are  to  be  found  in  numbers.  Anywhere  on 
the  desert,  however,  one  is  apt  to  see  them,  passing  overhead,  feed- 
ing, or  resting  on  the  giant  cactus  or  in  the  shade  of  the  thicker 
bushes.  They  also  invade  the  towns  to  some  extent,  and  may  fre- 


42         BIRDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGUARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT. 

quently  be  observed  in  garden  shrubbery  or  perched  on  fences  or 
electric  wires. 

The  cooing  of  the  white-wing  is  quite  lacking  in  the  melancholy 
dignity  of  the  mourning  dove's  notes.  There  is,  on  the  contrary, 
in  the  laboriously  pumped-up  tootling  of  the  white-wing  a  touch 
of  the  ridiculous  that  is  sure  to  strike  one  at  first  acquaintance. 
Later  on,  through  interminable  reiteration,  it  becomes  commonplace 
and  monotonous,  for  the  birds  are  most  abundant  and  are  assiduous 
musicians.  P.  L.  Jouy  states 1  that  in  Mexico  its  doleful  song  has 
been  transposed  by  some  poetical  genius  into  the  following  refrain : 

Tu!  Tu! 
Que  quieres? 
Que  quieres? 
Quiero  tu  !  Quiero  tu  ! 
You!  you!    What  do  I  want?    I  want  (or  love)  you!    I  love  you! 

Besides  this  long  and  elaborate  refrain  there  is  a  short  and  em- 
phatic call  note,  sometimes  repeated  over  and  over  again  at  frequent 
intervals.  This  has  been  translated  as,  "  Who  cooks  for  you  ",  a  ques- 
tion given  with  rather  insulting  emphasis. 

In  nesting  habits  the  white- wing  is  much  like  the  mourning  dove  as 
regards  structure  of  nest  and  choice  of  building  site.  It  does,  how- 
ever, show  a  decided  preference  for  mesquite,  far  more  nests  being 
placed  in  this  plant  than  in  any  other.  Cottonwoods  and  willows 
are  not  uncommonly  used,  while  an  occasional  nest  may  be  found  in 
other  trees  or  shrubs  where  they  provide  sufficient  shelter. 

The  birds,  as  a  rule,  arrive  in  southern  Arizona  about  the  third 
week  of  April.  Oilman  gives  the  date  of  arrival  at  Sacaton  as 
April  20,  while  I  found  a  bird  sitting  on  eggs  near  Tucson  as  early 
as  April  13.  The  eggs  are  two  in  number,  and  are  for  the  most 
part  laid  during  the  period  from  the  middle  of  May  until  the  end  of 
June,  occasionally  in  July.  In  August  the  white-wings  begin  to 
scatter  from  their  nesting  grounds,  and  at  this  season  may  be  found 
in  loosely  associated  flocks  in  the  live  oaks  of  the  foothills,  at  a 
far  higher  altitude  than  that  at  which  they  breed.  During  Septem- 
ber they  leave,  and  by  the  1st  of  October  are  nearly  all  gone. 

The  food  of  the  white- winged  dove  is  described  by  Oilman  (Con- 
dor, XIII,  1911,  p.  52)  as  follows : 

Their  coming  is  coincident  with  the  ripening  of  the  berries  of  the  wild  jujube, 
ZisypJwts  lycioides,  upon  which  they  feed  greedily  as  long  as  the  fruit  lasts, 
consuming  both  ripe  and  green.  .  .  .  They  come  in  such  great  numbers  that 
the  wheat  fields  suffer  and  the  loss  is  considerable. 

In  addition  to  the  wheat,  these  doves  feed  on  other  grains  and  much  weed 
seed.  They  are  very  fond  of  sorghum  seed,  and  large  flocks  gather  on  a  field 
of  this  plant.  The  giant  cactus  (Cereus  giganteus)  furnishes  them  a  large 

i  Proc.  U.  S.  Nat.  Mus.,  XVI,  1893,  p.  789. 


BIEDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGUARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT.         43 

amount  of  food  also.  They  may  be  seen  on  top  of  the  great  columns  as  soon 
as  the  first  blossoms  appear,  thrusting  their  bills  into  the  trumpet-shaped 
flowers,  but  whether  for  insects,  pollen,  or  nectar  was  not  learned.  As  soon  as 
the  fruit  ripens,  however,  there  is  no  doubt  as  to  what  they  are  seeking.  Their 
actions  are  a  sufficient  index  even  without  the  tell-tale  red  stain  around  their 
mouths.  They  frequent  the  cactus  groves  as  long  as  any  fruit  is  left,  flying  a 
long  distance  to  reach  this  delicacy. 

The  white-winged  dove  is  an  excellent  game  bird,  of  good  size, 
satisfactory  for  the  table,  and  sufficiently  swift  of  flight  to  test  the 
skill  of  the  gunner.  In  flying  from  feeding  ground  to  watering  place, 
the  streams  of  passing  birds  give  the  best  of  flight  shooting. 

Along  the  Apache  Trail  this  bird  was  seen  nearly  everywhere.  It 
was  repeatedly  observed  in  parks  and  gardens  in  Phoenix  and  Tempe, 
on  the  Papago  Saguaro  Monument,  and  on  the  farming  land  about 
Tempe.  About  the  shores  of  Roosevelt  Lake  a  few  of  the  birds 
were  seen,  but  not  in  the  numbers  observed  in  the  lower  valleys.  The 
species  was  also  noted  about  Globe. 

INCA  DOVE. 
Scardafella  inca  (Lesson). 

Recognition  marks. — Size  small;  8^  inches  in  length,  about  half 
of  which  is  tail.  Aside  from  its  diminutive  size,  like  other  pigeons 
in  appearance  and  actions.  Chestnut  coloration  on  wing,  nearly 
concealed  in  the  closed  wing  but  conspicuous  in  flight.  Long  tail, 
edged  with  white.  The  long,  white-bordered  tail  will  serve  to  dis- 
tinguish this  species  from  the  short-tailed  Mexican  ground  dove,  the 
only  bird  with  which  it  is  apt  to  be  confused. 

Occurrence. — The  towns  of  southern  Arizona  are  fortunate  in  the 
presence  of  this  little  dove,  which  not  only  tolerates  human  sur- 
roundings, but  flatly  declines  to  reside  amid  any  other.  Though  a 
common  species  in  certain  sections,  it  is  not  of  general  distribution 
over  the  State.  It  does  not  occur  in  northern  Arizona,  nor  does  it 
reach  the  Colorado  River;  the  region  included  in  the  lower  Salt 
River  Valley  and  the  Gila  Valley  immediately  to  the  southward, 
appears  to  be  the  center  of  abundance.  In  this  section  it  is  a  com- 
mon resident  of  every  town,  feeding  in  streets,  roads,  and  corrals, 
and  nesting  in  shade  trees  or  garden  shrubbery.  I  have  never  yet 
seen  the  Inca  dove  away  from  towns  or  the  immediate  vicinity  of 
ranch  houses.  It  is  a  familiar  feature  in  the  streets  of  Phoenix  and 
Tempe,  and  was  seen  in  lesser  numbers  at  Globe. 

The  life  history  of  the  Inca  dove,  as  observed  in  this  same  general 
region  over  a  period  of  years,  has  been  graphically  described  by 
Gilman : 

The  vivacious  little  Inca  dove  (Scardafella  inca)  is  the  cream  of  the  dove 
family  and  is  in  the  public  eye  or  ear  most  of  the  time.  Whether  sitting  on 


44          BIRDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGUARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT. 

a  barbed  wire  fence  or  a  clothes  line,  with  long  tail  hanging  down  perfectly 
plumb,  or  marching  around  in  a  combative  manner  with  tail  erect  at  right 
angles  to  the  body,  or  rushing  around  busily  and  hurriedly,  not  to  say  greedily, 
feeding  with  the  chickens  in  the  back  yard,  it  shows  a  decided  individuality 
and  arouses  interest  and  affection.  If  I  could  transport  to  my  California 
home  the  Bendire  thrashers  to  sing  to  me  and  the  Inca  doves  to  amuse  me  I 
would  surely  do  it. 

I  have  never  seen  them  far  from  dwellings  or  barns,  and  even  in  nesting 
they  show  a  decided  preference  for  human  company.  They  feed  in  yards  with 
poultry,  perch  on  back-yard  fences,  and  seem  as  much  part  of  the  establish- 
ment as  the  woodpile.  They  are  rather  dainty  in  their  drinking,  rarely  using 
the  chickens'  drinking  vessel,  but  perching  on  the  hydrant  and  catching  the 
drops  of  water  as  they  leak  from  the  pipe.  To  do  this  they  nearly  "have  to 
stand  on  their  heads,  but  that  does  not  bother  them  at  all.  They  eat  wheat 
and  other  small  grains  but  draw  the  line  at  corn,  it  probably  being  too  large 
for  them  to  swallow.  At  our  house  we  always  include  rations  for  the  Incas 
when  ordering  wheat  for  the  poultry. 

These  little  doves  are  with  us  the  year  through,  and  their  hard  metallic 
little  coo  can  be  heard  every  month  in  the  year,  though  most  in  evidence  during 
the  breeding  season.  As  I  write  this,  I  can  hear  the  "  coo-coo  "  which  gives 
them  their  Pima  name  of  coo-coo.  The  call  is  much  in  evidence  also  during  the 
heat  of  July  and  August,  at  which  trying  time  people  with  nerves  complain  of 
the  constant  noise  they  make,  which  begins  early  in  the  morning  and  ends 
late  in  the  evening.  There  is  an  insistent,  persevering  quality  about  the  calling 
that  is  quite  impressive,  and  when  a  lot  of  them  keep  at  it  some  people  sit  up 
and  take  notice.  They  are  numerous,  too,  as  I  have  counted  more  than  20 
feeding  with  about  a  dozen  chickens  in  a  small  yard. 

The  Inca  dove  could  never  have  inspired  the  term  "  dove  of  peace,"  as  they 
are  pugnacious  to  a  fault  and  fight  like  little  fiends.  Two  of  them  will  face 
each  other  with  one  wing  on  guard,  held  straight  above  the  body;  then  close 
in  and  mix  it,  buffeting  with  wings  till  the  sound  of  the  blows  is  audible  at  a 
distance  of  50  yards.  The  bill  is  also  used  with  bloody  results  about  the  head. 
I  have  been  told  that  one  will  sometimes  kill  the  other,  but  never  saw  such  an 
extreme  case.  When  arranging  for  a  fight,  the  combatants  utter  a  sort  of 
growl,  if  it  may  be  so  described :  a  very  guttural,  anger-expressing  sound.  In 
animated  talk,  gossip  perhaps,  they  excitedly  utter  sounds  something  like  "cut- 
cut-ca-doo-ca-doo."  In  all,  quite  a  vocabulary  is  at  their  command.  In  motion 
they  are  quick  and  lively,  and  have  the  same  jerky  flight  as  do  the  ground 
doves; 

The  nests  of  these  doves  are  nearly  always  placed  near  a  dwelling  or  a  barn. 
I  have  never  seen  a  nest  more  than  100  yards  from  a  building  of  some 
kind,  and  many  of  them  are  as  close  as  they  can  find  a  tree  in  which  to  build. 
A  row  of  umbrella  trees  close  to  a  dwelling  has  for  three  years  been  a  favorite 
place  for  nests,  and  also  a  row  of  cottonwood  trees  along  the  front  yard. 
These  two  kinds  of  trees  are  most  frequently  used,  probably  on  account  of  their 
nearness  to  houses.  Mesquite  trees  and  fruit  trees  are  also  drawn  on  for  home- 
steads. The  nest  is  a  little  more  elaborate  than  that  of  the  two  large  doves  and 
shows  more  of  a  depression  or  cup  in  the  center.  Rootlets,  twigs,  grass,  and 
leaf  stems  are  materials  used  in  the  construction.  The  birds  are  generally 
quite  tame  on  the  nest,  rarely  flying  off  till  the  intruder  comes  closer  than  arm's 
length.  I  have  placed  my  hand  as  close  as  10  inches  to  a  brooding  bird,  but 
have  never  quite  been  able  to  pet  one  on  the  nest.  They  are  so  accustomed  to 
human  presence  that  the  broken-wing  subterfuge  is  rarely  resorted  to.  The 


BIRDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGUARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT.         45 

average  distance  from  the  ground  of  a  number  of  nests  was  12  feet,  and  they 
ranged  from  7  to  20  feet. 

Fighting  and  cooing  begins  about  the  1st  of  February,  but  the  earliest  nesting 
date  I  have  recorded  was  April  11,  when  fresh  eggs  were  found.  The  latest 
date  was  September  25,  when  a  nest  containing  eggs  slightly  incubated  was 
found.  At  least  two,  and  possibly  three,  broods  are  raised  during  the  year. 
The  past  season  I  noted  four  cases  where  two  broods  were  raised  in  the  same 
nest,  and  two  cases  where  a  last  year's  nest  was  relined  and  used.  Two  nests 
found  were  built  on  top  of  old  cactus  wrens'  dwellings. 

Though  so  tame  and  accustomed  to  human  presence,  when  caught  the  doves 
are  violent  in  their  attempts  to  escape.  I  trapped  two  at  different  times  to 
have  a  friend  take  their  photograph.  I  placed  them  in  a  cage  to  await  the 
coming  of  the  camera  man,  but  they  used  the  same  jerky  motions  to  escape  that 
they  do  in  flying,  and  'went  at  it  with  the  same  vim  that  they  do  in  fighting. 
They  were  fast  injuring  their  heads,  and  I  released  them  after  a  few  minutes.1 

MEARNS   GILDED  FLICKER. 
Colaptcs  chrysoides  mearnsi  Ridgway. 

Recognition  marks. — A  large  woodpecker;  length  about  llf  inches. 
Eump  white,  and  under  surfaces  of  wings  and  tail  yellow,  conspicu- 
ous in  the  flying  bird.  The  gilded  flicker  will  probably  be  recog- 
nized at  sight  by  anyone  at  all  familiar  with  birds,  either  in  the  East 
or  the  West,  for  it  has  the  unmistakable  flicker  characteristics  of  voice, 
flight,  and  markings.  From  the  red-shafted  flicker,  which  occurs 
in  the  same  region  in  winter,  it  is  readily  distinguished  by  the  pos- 
session of  yellow,  instead  of  red,  shafts  of  wing  and  tail  feathers. 
From  the  eastern  yellow-shafted  flicker  the  gilded  flicker  may  be 
distinguished  by  its  red  "mustache  "  (in  the  male  bird),  and  by  the 
absence  in  either  sex  of  the  red  crescent  at  the  back  of  the  head. 

Occurrence. — So  closely  is  the  gilded  flicker  restricted  to  the 
vicinity  of  the  giant  cactus  that  it  is  useless  to  look  for  the  species 
save  in  the  neighborhood  of  that  plant.  It  is  true  that  an  occasional 
flicker  builds  its  nest  elsewhere  than  in  the  trunk  of  the  cactus,  but 
in  such  case  it  will  be  a  tree  growing  in  a  giant  cactus  region. 

The  species  is  resident  the  year  through  wherever  it  occurs,  but  in 
the  winter  it  is  joined  by  the  larger  red-shafted  flicker.  The  latter 
species  is  restricted  to  the  higher  mountains  during  the  summer. 

The  gilded  flicker  was  seen  in  fair  numbers  on  the  Papago  Saguaro 
Monument.  Two  nests  placed  high  in  towering  saguaros  were  found 
there  on  May  30,  both  containing  noisy  young  assiduously  fed  by  their 
parents.  About  Roosevelt  Lake  the  species  was  seen  daily,  though  not 
in  any  large  numbers. 

Condor,  XIII,  1911,  pp.  55-56. 


4:6         BIRDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGUARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT. 

Following  are  quotations  from  an  article  by  M.  French  Gilman, 
treating  of  the  life  history  of  the  gilded  flicker,  as  observed  about 
Sacaton,  Arizona : 

Mearns  gilded  flicker  (Colaptes  chrysoides  mearnsi)  is  abundant  throughout 
this  region  and  is  found  in  cottonwood  and  willow  groves  as  well  as  wherever 
the  giant  cactus  grows.  The  giant  cactus  is  to  this  flicker  and  the  Gila  wood- 
pecker what  the  bamboo  is  to  the  inhabitants  of  some  of  the  eastern  islands. 
The  cactus  could  get  along  without  the  flickers,  though  it  probably  would  not  feel 
properly  ventilated  without  a  few  nest  holes,  and  it  would  not  look  at  all  natural 
without  them.  The  cactus  furnishes  the  birds  with  home,  shelter,  food,  and  pos- 
sibly drink.  They  roost  in  the  holes  and  seek  them  as  retreat  from  rain- 
storms. More  than  once  when  driving  through  a  heavy  rain  have  I  seen  a 
flicker's  head  thrust  from  a  hole  in  an  inquiring  way,  as  though  to  say,  "  Look, 
who's  here." 

The  gilded  flickers  are  much  quieter  than  the  Gilas  and  are  not  so  much  in 
evidence  around  homes,  though  they  do  not  appear  to  be  very  timid.  They  are 
simply  less  sociable,  I  presume.  They  resort  regularly  to  the  Indian  corn- 
cribs  and  are  seen  in  cornfields,  though  I  have  never  noticed  them  actually 
engaged  on  an  ear  of  green  corn  as  I  have  the  Gilas.  They  probably  attack 
the  green  corn,  but  are  quiet  about  the  work  instead  of  advertising  their  pres- 
ence. They  eat  largely  of  the  cactus  fruit  and  possibly  of  the  pulp  at  certain 
lean  seasons.  They  are  very  fond  of  watermelon  and  eat  freely  of  it  when  it 
is  placed  on  bird  tables  or  on  the  ground  in  shade  of  tree  or  shed.  They  ap- 
pear to  feed  frequently  on  the  ground  in  the  way  the  red-shafted  does  and  are 
probably  after  ants  most  of  the  time.  I  have  seen  them  at  work  on  an  ant  hill 
and  even  pecking  into  the  ground  after  the  insects.  When  melon  is  placed  both 
on  the  tables  and  on  the  ground  they  resort  more  often  to  that  on  the  ground, 
while  the  Gilas  prefer  the  tables.  However,  I  have  never  seen  the  flickers  drink 
from  the  pool  of  water  provided,  though  the  Gilas  occasionally  do. 

They  are  peaceable  and  impress  me  as  being  eminently  practical  and  matter  of 
fact.  Each  one  minds  his  own  business,  as  the  Gilas  do  sometimes,  but  are 
solitary  or  in  pairs.  They  have  the  same  habit  of  pecking  the  walls  of  buildings 
as  have  the  red-shafted  flickers,  and  one  has  worked  spasmodically  at  the 
shingled  gable  of  the  schoolhouse  here  for  the  past  three  years.  I  take  it  to 
be  the  same  individual,  for  he  is  rather  tame  and  roosts  each  night  above  one 
of  the  window  casings.  A  few  times  I  have  seen  a  Gila  woodpecker  at  work  at 
the  same  point  in  the  wall,  but  usually  his  time  is  put  in  on  a  telephone  pole 
in  the  yard.  The  notes  of  this  flicker  are  quite  similar  to  those  of  the  red- 
shafted,  but  not  so  frequent  nor  quite  so  loud. 

The  nests  are  found  in  giant  cactus,  cottonwood,  and  willow,  and  in  that 
order  as  to  frequency,  the  giant  cactus  leading.  Nests  are  in  the  giant  cactus 
or  Saguaro,  as  it  is  called,  far  from  water,  and  in  cottonwood  and  willow  along 
the  river,  on  banks  of  the  canals,  or  even  standing  in  stagnant  water  pools. 
Of  27  nests  examined  containing  eggs  or  young,  21  were  in  the  Saguaro,  4  in 
willow,  and  2  in  cottonwood.  Others  were  seen  in  cottonwood,  but  too  difficult 
of  access,  and  many  in  the  cactus  were  out  of  reach.  If  careful  count  were 
made  I  believe  about  90  per  cent  would  be  found  in  the  cactus.  Nests  in  cot- 
tonwood and  willow  ranged  from  5  to  25  feet  from  the  ground  and  in  Saguaros 
from  11  to  25  or  30  feet. 

April  is  the  month  for  flicker  nesting,  as  19  of  the  27  occupied  nests  were 
noted  during  that  month;  11  contained  eggs,  and  8  had  young.  Of  8  nests 
found  in  May,  4  had  eggs  and  4  contained  young.  April  11  was  the  earliest 


BIKDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGUAKO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT.         47 

date  for  a  complete  set,  and  April  19  date  of  first  young  found.  May  17  was  the 
latest  date  of  nest  with  eggs.  *  *  *.  ,. 

The  entrance  to  the  nest  holes  varies  much,  as  may  be  seen  from  the  figures 
given.  The  smallest  entrance  measured  2|  inches  and  the  largest  4J  inches. 
The  shallowest  hole  was  10  inches,  and  the  deepest  18  inches.  The  average 
diameter  of  entrance  to  36  holes  measured  was  3.28  inches,  and  average  depth 
of  same  holes  was  12.75  inches.  The  entrance  to  the  18-inch  hole  was  3$ 
inches  in  diameter,  and  while  the  ratio  is  not  constant,  the  shallower  holes  tend 
to  have  smaller  entrances  and  the  deeper  holes  have  larger  entrances.  It  was 
difficult  to  measure  the  diameter  of  the  bottom  of  the  nest  holes  without  de- 
stroying the  nest,  and  this  was  not  to  be  considered  when  the  hole  was  occu- 
pied, so  very  little  data  was  secured.  From  the  few  measurements  taken  it 
may  be  stated  that  the  bottom  of  the  nest  hole  is  from  4$  to  6  inches  in 
diameter.  It  is  hardly  correct  to  use  the  term  diameter,  as  many  of  the  hole 
bottoms  were  not  nearly  circular,  one  I  measured  being  4  inches  one  way  and 
6  the  other.  This  variation  seemed  to  be  governed  by  the  size  of  the  cactus, 
as  in  the  smaller  plants  there  was  not  room  to  excavate  a  large  circular  bot- 
tom, and  it  had  to  be  stretched  one  way.  How  the  four  young  find  growing 
room  in  some  of  the  nests  is  a  puzzle;  I  have  never  been  able  to  fit  them  back 
when  once  removed,  unless  it  was  done  soon  after  they  hatched. 

The  gilded  flickers  do  not  object  to  using  a  hole  after  the  entrance  is  en- 
larged. Two  years  ago  I  cut  into  a  hole  occupied  by  a  Gila  woodpecker,  and 
the  following  season  a  flicker  used  it.  In  the  same  tree  at  the  same  time  I 
cut  into  a  flicker's  nest,  and  the  following  year  a  sparrow  hawk  occupied  it 
with  four  eggs. 

While  speaking  of  Gila  woodpeckers  I  mentioned  catching  one  at  work  ex- 
cavating a  hole  in  a  stump.  A  short  time  afterwards  I  examined  the  hole  and 
found  a  gilded  flicker  at  home  there  with  three  tiny  young  and  two  infertile 
eggs.  She  had  taken  the  hole  and  enlarged  it  sufficiently  to  accommodate  her 
family. 

The  young  when  first  hatched  are  not  very  prepossessing  to  anyone,  except, 
perhaps,  the  parents.  At  first  glance  they  remind  one  of  the  pictured  restora- 
tion of  the  Plesiosaurus,  with  their  long  twisting  naked  necks.  The  lowei 
mandible  was  more  than  an  eighth  of  an  inch  longer  than  the  upper,  and  on 
the  tip  of  each  was  the  hard  white  growth  used  in  opening  the  shell.  At  this 
nest  the  parents  showed  more  solicitude  than  any  others  I  had  seen,  coming 
as  close  as  4  feet  from  me.  In  most  instances  they  are  rather  indifferent,  even 
when  the  young  loudly  protest  at  being  handled.  One  nest  examined  contained 
four  nearly  grown.  When  disturbed  one  of  them  flew  from  the  nest  and  landed 
about  100  yards  distant,  coming  to  the  ground  very  awkwardly,  but  flying  as 
well  as  though  he  were  a  graduate  from  a  school  of  aviation.  Two  others  then 
left  the  nest  but  made  only  short  flights.  I  caught  and  tried  to  keep  them 
still  enough  for  a  photo,  but  did  not  have  enough  hands  to  hold  them  still  and 
operate  the  camera.  They  made  enough  noise  to  attract  attention  but  neither 
parent  put  in  appearance  to  investigate  the  disturbance. 

They  are  not  close  sitters,  and  usually  leave  the  nest  before  the  tree  is 
reached  or  the  ladder  placed  against  the  trunk.  As  soon  as  an  intruder's  foot- 
steps become  audible  the  landlady  pokes  her  head  from  the  entrance  and  soon 
after  departs,  never  giving  opportunity  for  capturing  her  on  the  nest.  Deserted 
flicker  nest  holes  are  made  use  of  by  several  other  birds.  In  these  holes  I 
have  often  found  sparrow-hawks  and  Saguaro  screech  owls.  Once  a  Bendire 
thrasher  made  her  nest  in  one  with  a  crack  in  one  side  that  let  in  light  enough 
for  her.  In  a  partly  excavated  hole  I  found  the  nest  of  a  western  kingbird, 
and  in  another  the  nest  of  a  house  finch.  Occasionally  the  cactus  wren  builds 


48          BIRDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGUARO   NATIONAL  MONUMENT. 

in  the  deserted  hole.  In  one  Saguaro  I  found  occupied  nests  of  the  gilded 
flicker,  Gila  woodpecker,  and  ash-throated  flycatcher.  A  cactus  wren  was  in 
an  ironwood  at  the  base  of  the  cactus  and  beyond  reach  of  the  ladder  were 
holes  giving  signs  of  occupancy  by  owls.1 

GILA  WOODPECKER. 

Centurus  uropygialis  Baird. 

Recognition  marks. — A  medium-sized  woodpecker,  about  10^ 
inches  long.  Upper  parts  barred  with  black  and  white,  in  zebra-like 
fashion.  A  large,  white  spot  on  each  wing,  conspicuous  in  flight; 
white  markings  on  middle  tail  feathers,  also  rather  conspicuous  on 
the  flying  bird.  Quite  noisy  when  disturbed,  with  all  the  call  notes 
of  a  whining,  querulous  character. 

Occurrence. — The  Gila  woodpecker  has  its  center  of  abundance  in 
the  United  States  in  the  valley  of  the  Gila  River.  It  is  a  familiar 
inhabitant  of  the  lowlands  of  southern  Arizona,  both  on  the  desert 
mesa  and  along  the  wooded  river  bottoms ;  and  an  excellent  example 
of  a  desert  bird  that  has  taken  kindly  to  civilization  and  the  cultiva- 
tion of  the  land.  It  is  a  common  species  about  Phoenix  and  Tempe, 
as  also  about  Roosevelt  Lake.  Nests  were  found  in  giant  cactus  on 
the  Papago  Saguaro  Monument,  in  cottonwood  trees  along  irriga- 
tion ditches  near  Tempe,  and  again  in  a  canyon  near  Roosevelt  Lake. 
These  all  contained  young  birds  at  the  time  of  observation. 

The  habits  of  the  Gila  woodpecker,  as  observed  at  Sacaton, 
Arizona,  have  been  set  forth  by  Gilman  in  part  as  follows : 

Were  it  not  for  the  Gila  woodpecker  (Centurus  uropygialis)  what  would  be- 
come of  the  several  species  of  birds  that  use  already  prepared  cavities  for 
their  domiciles?  In  some  cases  these  tenants  do  not  even  await  the  pleasure 
of  the  excavators,  but  take  forcible  possession.  In  holes  excavated  by  Gila 
woodpeckers  there  may  regularly  be  found  nesting  the  elf  owl,  ferruginous 
pigmy  owl,  ash-throated  flycatcher,  and  Arizona  crested  flycatcher.  Occa- 
sionally a  cactus  wren  makes  use  of  the  handy  hollow,  and  once  I  saw 
one  occupied  by  the  nest  of  a  Lucy  warbler.  A  big  "  rough-neck ",  scaly 
lizard  frequents  the  holes  when  not  too  high  in  the  cactus,  and  in  two 
holes  in  willow  trees  I  found  snakes.  It  is  not  pleasant  to  insert  one's 
hand  and  have  a  big  lizard  or  snake  crawl  up  the  arm  to  escape.  Rats 
and  mice  are  sometimes  found  in  the  deserted  holes,  especially  if  the  tree  be 
much  decayed  and  with  cracks  and  hollows  connecting  holes  at  different 
heights  in  the  tree  or  branch.  So  these  woodpeckers  may  be  considered  among 
the  class  of  innocent  or  unintentional  benefactors. 

As  a  neighbor,  the  Gila  woodpecker  is  permanently  on  the  map,  and  is  afraid 
neither  of  being  seen  nor  heard.  He  is  much  in  the  public  ear  with  a  variety 
of  notes  and  calls.  His  sociable  conversational  notes  somewhat  resemble  those 
of  the  California  woodpecker,  but  are  shriller.  In  such  of  his  notes  as  are 
directed  at  humanity  there  is  a  peevish  complaining  tone,  especially  if  closely 
approached  when  feeding  on  fruit  or  some  other  delicacy.  In  such  cases  there 
is  only  one  term  that  exactly  describes  his  attitude  and  utterances,  and  that 

1  Condor,  XVII,  1915,  pp.  160-1S3. 


Photograph  by  M.  French  Oilman. 


A.     PLUMBEOUS  GNATCATCHER  ON  NEST. 

This  is  a  characteristic  species  of  the  deserts  of  the  Southwest.  It  is  much  like  the  Blue-Gray 
Gnatcatcher  of  the  Eastern  States  and  the  Western  Gnatcatcher  of  California,  from  which  It 
differs  mainly  in  the  possession  of  a  black  cap,  worn  by  the  male  during  the  summer  months. 
This  marking  may  be  seen  on  the  bird  in  the  picture. 


MALE  GILA  WOODPECKER. 


Distinguished  from  the  female  by  the  red  spot  on  the  crown.    This  is  a  common  species  of  the 
valleys  of  southern  Arizona,  and  one  that  nests  frequently  in  the  giant  cactus. 


BIRDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGUARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT.         49 

is  the  phrase  "belly-aching."  In  fact,  all  of  his  talk  at  us  has  a  distinctly 
"  colicky  "  tone  and  one  feels  like  giving  him  something  to  whine  about.  His 
ordinary  call  slightly  resembles  that  of  the  flicker,  but  is  not  quite  so  loud; 
altogether  he  is  quite  a  conversationalist. 

This  woodpecker  frequents  houses  and  yards,  and  with  slight  encourage- 
ment comes  regularly  for  food,  not  hesitating  to  call  loudly  for  it  if  breakfast 
be  much  delayed.  The  Indians  store  corn  in  the  ear  on  the  Hat  tops  of  their 
houses  and  sheds,  and  each  home  has  one  or  more  of  woodpecker  retainers  or 
pensioners  hanging  about  most  of  the  time.  This  corn  provides  an  abundant 
and  sure  source  of  food,  and  the  birds  make  the  most  of  it.  I  have  never  seen 
any  indication  of  food  storage  on  the  part  of  the  Gila  woodpecker  as  with  the 
California  woodpecker,  for  they  live  in  a  claw-to-beak  fashion.  They  peck  at 
a  kernel  until  it  conies  off  the  cob,  when  it  is  carried  to  a  post  or  tree  and 
placed  firmly  in  a  crack.  Here  it  is  pecked  to  pieces  and  eaten.  They  seem 
never  to  swallw  the  kernel  whole,  but  always  break  it  up.  They  seem  to  be 
allotted  on  the  ratio  of  a  pair  of  birds  to  a  home,  and  it  is  but  rarely  that 
more  than  two  are  seen  at  the  same  corncrib.  During  the  breeding  season  they 
are  shyer  and  are  not  seen  around  the  homes  very  much ;  but  when  the  young 
are  grown  they  "  bring  them  out "  and  present  them,  as  it  were. 

The  food  of  this  woodpecker  is  varied,  nearly  everything  being  grist  that 
comes  to  his  mill.  He  pecks  around  decayed  and  dying  trees  as  well  as  green 
ones,  and  presumably  gets  the  insects  usually  found  and  eaten  by  such  birds. 
The  giant  cactus  is  pecked  into  very  frequently,  and  I  believe  some  of  the 
pulp  is  eaten.  The  small  punctures  made  are  not  enlarged,  and  in  some  cases 
quite  an  area  is  bitten  into.  The  fruit  of  the  giant  cactus  is  eaten  as  long  as 
it  lasts,  and  berries  of  the  lycium  are  also  freely  eaten.  The  Gila  woodpecker 
frequents  cornfields  and  pecks  through  the  husks  into  the  ears  of  corn.  The 
birds  may  peck  in  at  first  to  get  a  worm,  but  it  is  a  case  similar  to  the  discovery 
of  roast  pig  as  portrayed  by  Lamb.  They  alight  on  the  ground  and  feed  upon 
table  scraps  thrown  to  chickens,  three  of  them  being  regular  morning  visitors — 
star  boarders — to  a  pen  of  chickens  I  fed.  They  are  very  fond  of  peaches  and 
pears  and  volubly  resent  being  driven  from  a  tree  of  the  fruit.  They  peck 
holes  in  ripening  pomegranates  and  then  the  green  fruit  beetle  helps  finish 
the  fruit.  They  relish  grapes,  both  white  and  colored,  and  will  spear  one  with 
their  bill  and  carry  it  to  a  convenient  crevice,  where  it  may  be  eaten  at  leisure. 
On  bird  tables  I  have  tried  them  with  various  articles  of  food  and  found  very 
little  that  they  rejected.  They  would  not  eat  cantaloupe  at  all,  but  were 
regular  watermelon  fiends,  eating  it  three  times  a  day  and  calling  for  more. 
They  did  not  care  for  oranges,  and  I  had  no  success  in  trying  to  teach  them 
to  eat  ripe  pickled  olives.  I  tried  the  olive  diet  on  them  because  two  mocking- 
birds in  our  yard  in  California  learned  to  eat  this  fruit.  Meat,  raw  and  cooked, 
was  eaten,  and  they  ate  suet  greedily.  Their  favorite  cut  of  beef  was  the 
T-bone  steak,  and  we  always  left  some  meat  on  the  bone  for  them.  They 
picked  it  clean,  and  if  a  new  supply  was  slow  in  coming  the  softer  parts  of  the 
bone  were  devoured.  This  T-bone  steak  diet,  however,  was  prior  to  the  balloon 
ascension  of  beef.  The  bone  was  always  nailed  fast  to  the  table  and  it  fur- 
nished the  birds  with  food  and  exercise  and  us  with  edification.  Mr.  Frank 
Pinkley,  custodian  at  the  Casa  Grande  Ruins,  told  me  of  a  pair  of  these  wood- 
peckers that  stayed  around  his  home  and  became  quite  tame,  coming  into  the 
shed  to  drink  from  a  can  of  water.  He  said  they  got  into  the  habit  of  sucking 
the  eggs  in  the  chicken  house,  or,  at  least,  pecking  into  them  and  eating  of  the 
contents.  As  the  eggs  were  from  blooded  Wyandotte  hens,  he  had  to  break  the 
woodpeckers  of  the  habit.  I  did  not  ask  him  how  he  did  it,  but  fear  that  it 
153688°— 20 4 


50          BIRDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGUAKO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT. 

was  in  the  same  way  that  he  broke  some  horned  owls  of  dining  on  the  same 
brand  of  hens.  Water  seems  to  be  the  least  of  their  worries ;  perhaps  it  is 
supplied  by  the  giant  cactus  they  peck  into  so  freely. 

This  woodpecker  has  not  the  best  disposition  in  the  world,  for  he  is  very 
quarrelsome  and  intolerant.  He  fights  his  own  kin  and  all  the  neighbors  that 
he  dares.  He,  or  she,  is  a  great  bluffer,  however,  and  when  "  called "  fre- 
quently sidesteps,  subsides,  or  backs  out  entirely.  I  saw  one  approach  a 
Bendire  thrasher  that  was  eating  and  suddenly  pounce  on  him.  He  had  the 
thrasher  down,  and  I  was  thinking  of  offering  my  friendly  services  as  a  board 
of  arbitration,  when  the  under  bird  crawled  from  beneath  and  soon  gave  the 
woodpecker  the  thrashing  of  his  career.  Several  times  I  have  seen  the  wood- 
peckers start  to  attack  Bendire  and  Palmer  thrashers,  but  they  were  always 
bluffed  or  beaten  at  the  game.  With  the  bronzed  cowbirds  it  is  a  drawn 
battle,  sometimes  one  and  then  the  other  backing  down.  Most  other  birds, 
such  as  cardinals,  Abert  towhees,  dwarf  cowbirds,  and  cactus  wrens,  do  not 
attempt  to  assert  their  rights,  but  always  take  a  rear  seat.  When  it  is  wood- 
pecker versus  woodpecker  it  seems  not  to  be  a  case  of  "  Thrice  armed  is  he 
who  hath  his  quarrel  just,"  but  rather  "  Four  times  he  who  gets  his  blow  in 
fust." 

I  had  two  bird  tables  about  20  feet  apart,  and  frequently  one  woodpecker 
might  be  peacefully  assimilating  watermelon  when  another  one  would  come 
hurrying  up  and  make  a  dive  at  him,  causing  a  retreat  to  the  other  table. 
Frequently  the  newcomer  would  then  follow  and  drive  him  from  the  second 
table.  He  seemingly  would  rather  fight  than  eat  if  another  one  was  eating  at 
the  same  time.  One  day  I  saw  him,  or  her,  I  forget  which,  hanging  to  the 
edge  of  the  table  busily  eating  steak,  when  another  one  perched  on  the  table 
and  made  a  vicious  stab  at  him.  He  dodged  backward  clear  under  the  table, 
though  retaining  his  hold,  and  then  bobbed  up  again,  just  like  the  Punch  and 
Judy  show.  The  attack  was  renewed,  and  the  dodging  as  well ;  but  this  time 
he  did  not  "come  back."  Another  day  one  of  them  was  at  work -on  a  piece 
of  melon,  when  one  of  his  fellows  came  and  perched  on  the  end  of  the  table. 
The  diner  made  a  pass  at  the  newcomer,  and  seizing  him  by  the  feathers  of 
the  neck  held  him  suspended  over  the  end  of  the  table  for  a  few  seconds. 

Nesting  sites  in  this  locality  are  restricted  to  giant  cactus  (Cereus  gigan- 
teus),  cottonwood,  and  willow,  as  they  are  the  only  suitable  material  for  a 
nest  excavation.  More  nests  are  found  in  the  giant  cactus,  as  these  plants  are 
more  numerous  than  the  others  and  more  "peckable,"  though  the  willows 
and  cottonwoods  along  the  river  and  the  canals  are  well  patronized  when 
sufficiently  decayed.  Of  the  nests  I  examined  I  should  say  that  50  per 
cent  were  in  the  cactus  and  the  rest  equally  divided  between  the  other  trees 
mentioned.  *  *  * 

Usually  the  nest  hole  runs  straight  in  for  a  short  distance  before  turning 
downward,  the  distance  seemingly  depending  on  the  texture  of  the  wood.  *  *  * 
The  depth  horizontally  is  usually  about  3  inches.  In  the  giant  cactus  it 
varies  according  to  the  diameter  of  the  trunk,  the  smaller  the  trunk  the  less 
distance  before  turning  downward.  The  softness  of  the  material  is  not  a  factor, 
as  it  is  the  same  in  small  and  large  trunks.  In  only  two  cases  have  I  found 
nest  holes  that  penetrated  through  the  ribs  of  the  cactus  into  the  inner  pith. 
In  both  cases  the  trunk  was  too  small  to  furnish  room  for  the  nest  between 
the  outside  and  the  ribs.  The  holes  are  dug  in  the  soft  pulp  of  the  cactus,  and 
the  raw  surface  becomes  calloused,  as  it  were,  forming  a  tough  woody  lining  to 
the  hole,  which  persists  when  the  rest  of  the  pulp  decays.  In  this  way  the 
nest  holes  may  be  found  intact,  the  hole  being  outlined  by  the  hardened  pulp, 
while  the  surrounding  pulpy  tissues  have  entirely  decayed.  *  *  * 


BIRDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGUARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT.         51 

The  nests  were  placed  at  different  heights,  those  in  the  giant  cactus  rang- 
ing from  14  feet  to  the  limit  of  the  plant,  about  35  feet.  As  my  ladder  was 
only  14  feet  long,  the  nests  higher  than  20  feet  were  inaccessible,  except  in 
the  special  cases  already  mentioned.  Many  of  the  nests  seen  were  more 
than  20  feet  from  the  ground,  and  as  a  rule  the  Gila  woodpecker  seemed  to 
place  the  nests  higher  in  the  cactus  than  did  the  gilded  flicker.  They  appear 
to  select  large  plants  and  to  patronize  the  same  one  for  several  years,  as 
many  unoccupied  holes  may  be  seen  in  it.  Unoccupied — that  is,  as  far  as  the 
woodpecker  is  concerned,  for  the  old  holes  are  often  used  by  other  birds.  I 
have  never  found  two  of  these  woodpeckers  occupying  the  same  tree,  but  fre- 
quently a  gilded  flicker,  elf  owl,  and  ash-throated  flycatcher  might  be  next- 
door  neighbors,  and  all  housed  under  the  same  roof,  as  it  were.  In  cotton- 
woods  and  willows  there  could  not  be  so  much  choice  as  to  height,  for  the  site 
was  decided  by  the  location  of  soft  or  decayed  wood,  and  sometimes  the  nest 
would  be  closer  to  the  ground.  In  some  stumps  I  have  found  the  nests  only  5 
feet  from  the  ground,  in  other  cases  as  high  as  30  feet  or  more.  *  *  * 

The  height  of  the  nesting  season  is  evidently  from  the  middle  of  April  to 
the  middle  of  May.  Of  13  occupied  nests  examined,  12  were  found  in  May, 
8  of  them  containing  young.  May  10  was  the  latest  date  that  eggs  were 
found.  July  10  I  found  three  young  about  half  grown,  which  might  indicate 
that  a  second  brood  was  sometimes  raised.  *  *  * 

It  is  not  easy  to  determine  just  what  food  the  young  in  the  nest  are  given, 
but  insects  play  a  prominent  part,  as  I  have  seen  them  frequently  carried  to 
the  young.  Fruit  is  also  used,  as  I  watched  one  parent  carry  ripe  Lyciurn 
berries  several  times  to  the  nest;  after  emerging  from  the  hole  she  would 
halt  at  the  entrance  each  time  and  "  lick  her  chops." 

The  old  birds  show  much  concern  when  the  nest  is  approached,  and  remon- 
strate most  volubly;  if  the  young  are  handled  and  caused  to  cry,  the  old 
ones  use  terrible  language.  The  birds  are  not  very  close  sitters  as  a  rule,  but 
I  cut  into  one  nest  without  seeing  any  owner  around  and  found  her  on  the 
nest  with  three  young  just  hatched  and  one  egg  pipped.  She  was  not  sick  or 
stupid  either,  judging  from  the  noise  she  made  and  the  fight  she  put  up,  but 
was  merely  on  the  job  and  surely  "  on  the  peck."  A  new-looking  hole  in  a 
cottonwood  stump  only  5  feet  from  the  ground  was  noticed,  and,  quietly  ap- 
proaching, I  placed  my  fingers  over  the  entrance.  I  soon  received  a  vigorous 
peck  from  the  lady  of  the  house,  who  was  "  coming  up  "  with  a  mouth  full  of 
sawdust.  I  took  her  by  the  chin  and  drew  her  as  gently  as  possible  from 
the  hole,  but  after  petting  her  awhile  released  her,  for  she  made  more  noise 
than  a  sitting  hen.  Mr.  Pinkley,  at  the  Casa  Grande  ruins,  showed  me  a  giant 
cactus  that  had  been  moved  to  their  yard  from  a  distance  of  a  quarter  of  a 
mile.  The  cactus  at  the  time  of  removal  contained  a  nest  of  young  wood- 
peckers, and  the  mother  followed  it  up  and  raised  the  family  to  maturity,  with 
the  exception  of  one  youngster  that  became  impaled  on  a  thorn  at  the  entrance 
to  the  nest. 

The  young  are  fed  by  the  parents  for  a  long  time  after  leaving  the  nest,  and 
they  are  regular  little  beggars.  One  pair  stayed  around  our  house  for  several 
months  and  became  quite  tame.  They  were  missed  during  the  breeding  season, 
but  soon  came  back  with  three  youngsters  to  share  the  good  things  found  on 
the  bird  tables  in  the  yard.  The  young,  although  as  large  as  their  parents, 
would  flutter  their  wings  and  sit  with  open  beak,  as  though  the  old  ones  told 
them  to  "  open  your  mouth  and  shut  your  eyes,"  etc.  The  old  ones  would  try 
to  get  them  to  eat  watermelon  placed  on  the  tables,  but  the  babies  would  not 
be  shown  ;  the  parents  had  to  put  it  in  their  mouths.  They  followed  the  parents 


52          BIRDS  OF  THE  PAP  AGO  SAGUARO   NATIONAL   MONUMENT. 

from  perch  to  perch  begging  for  food  until  I  expected  to  see  them  chastised. 
The  pair  in  question  stayed  with  the  three  juvenals  until  they  had  them  broken 
to  eat  for  themselves  and  then  left.  After  a  proper  interval  they  came  back 
with  two  more  young  ones,  thus  indicating  that  a  second  brood  is  sometimes 
raised.  The  abundant  supply  of  food  may  have  been  a  determining  factor  in 
the  number  of  broods  raised. 

The  Gila  woodpecker  is  so  prone  to  adapt  himself  to  different  kinds  of  food 
that  he  seems  fitted  to  persist  in  the  face  of  settlement  and  civilization.  Lack  of 
suitable  nesting  sites  might  be  thought  to  prove  a  stumbling  block,  but  any 
old  stump  appears  to  answer,  no  matter  whether  high  or  low,  so  that  difficulty 
might  be  surmounted.  He  might  prove  a  pest  to  certain  fruits  if  present  in 
sufficient  numbers,  but  that  danger  is  remote,  though  I  have  known  several  to 
suffer  through  too  much  devotion  to  the  succulent  peach  and  pear.1 

FARALION"  CORMORANT. 
Phalacrocorax  auritus  albociliatus  Ridgway. 

Recognition  marks. — Coloration  of  adults,  black;  of  young  birds, 
brownish,  with  lighter  colored  breast.  Size  of  a  small  goose  (about 
3  feet  in  length) ;  and  goose-like  in  general  appearance  when  flying, 
though  with  a  quirk  in  the  outstretched  neck,  whereas  a  flying  goose 
extends  its  neck  to  its  full  length.  When  swimming  the  body  is  sunk 
low  in  the  water  and  the  bill  pointed  obliquely  upward. 

Occurrence. — When  the  waters  of  Roosevelt  Lake  rose  to  their  ap- 
pointed level,  flooding  so  many  miles  of  bottomlands  of  the  Salt  and 
Tonto  Rivers,  there  was  at  least  one  species  of  bird  that  was  able  to 
move  into  the  altered  country  and  find  conditions  to  its  liking.  Cor- 
morants probably  occurred  sporadically  along  the  rivers  before  the 
lake  existed,  but  it  is  doubtful  if  these  streams  supplied  sufficient  food 
or  if  there  were  proper  nesting  sites  to  permit  the  establishment  of 
breeding  colonies.  At  each  end  of  Roosevelt  Lake — that  is,  just  below 
the  mouths  of  the  Tonto  and  Salt  Rivers — stand  cottonwood  and  other 
trees,  killed  by  the  rising  flood,  partly  submerged  but  with  their  tops 
out  of  the  water.  In  some  of  the  larger  of  these  trees  the  cormorants 
have  built  their  nests.  On  June  8  I  visited  the  colony  at  the  head  of 
the  Tonto  River  branch  of  the  lake.  Great  blue  herons  and  black- 
crowned  night  herons  were  there,  as  well  as  the  cormorants,  and  it 
was  not  always  possible  to  tell  to  which  birds  the  nests  observed  per- 
tained, though  as  a  rule  the  three  species  seemed  to  nest  in  colonies 
apart.  The  cormorants  were  in  greater  numbers  than  the  herons. 
One  tree  held  16  nests,  most  of  them  occupied  by  partly  grown  young 
cormorants.  Near-by  were  two  other  trees  holding,  respectively,  three 
and  four  nests,  and  farther  on  a  number  of  single  nests  were  scattered, 
some  cormorants'  and  some  herons'.  Besides  the  cormorants  on  the 
nests,  single  birds  and  flocks  of  three  or  four  were  seen  at  various 
points  near  the  head  of  the  lake.  Altogether  about  40  or  50  of  the 

^  »  Condor,  XVII,  1915,  pp.   152-159. 


PLATE  VIII. 


Photograph  by  M.  French  GUman. 


A.  I  NEST  WITH   FIVE  EGGS  OF  GILA  WOODPECKER 
IN  GIANT  CACTUS. 

The  side  of  the  cactus  has  been  cut  away  to  expose  the  nest. 


B.     NESTING  COLONY  OF  FARALLON  CORMORANTS  NEAR  MOUTH  OF  TONTO 
RIVER,  ROOSEVELT  LAKE. 


BIRDS  OF  THE  PAP  AGO  SAGUARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT.         53 

birds  were  seen.  Near  the  head  of  the  Salt  River  branch  of  the  lake 
cormorants  were  seen  in  about  the  same  number  as  on  Tonto  River. 
I  did  not  examine  any  nests  here,  but  in  all  probability  the  two  colonies 
are  of  about  the  same  size. 

During  the  nesting  season  the  cormorants  appeared  to  remain  close 
to  the  nests,  none  being  seen  during  June  at  the  lower  end  of  the 
lake.  A  month  later,  during  the  first  week  in  July,  several  were 
observed  in  the  vicinity  of  the  dam. 

At  the  present  time  conditions  are  certainly  favorable  to  the  cor- 
morants, and  the  colony  will  probably  increase  in  numbers  from  year 
to  year.  Nesting  on  a  Federal  bird  reservation,  they  are  secure  of 
injury  from  man,  their  nests  are  safe  from  ordinary  danger,  and  in 
the  lake  there  is  abundance  of  food.  The  dead  trees  serving  for 
their  present  nesting  sites,  however,  are  certain  to  disappear  in  the 
course  of  time,  and  the  cormorants  will  then  have  a  problem  to 
solve. 

Besides  those  seen  at  Roosevelt  Lake,  cormorants  were  noted  near 
Tempe  on  May  31.  First  a  flock  of  29  birds  was  seen,  flying  in 
V-shaped  formation,  like  wild  geese,  and  headed  straight  up  the  Salt 
River.  A  little  later  six  birds  appeared,  circling  about  over  the 
river  bottom,  flying  low  above  the  willows. 

PALLID  GREAT  BLUE  HERON. 
Ardea  hcrodias  tregansai  Court. 

Recognition  marks. — Size  large;  length  about  4  feet.  Relatively 
small  body  and  short  tail,  with  long  legs,  neck,  and  bill,  and  broad, 
widespreading  wings.  Flight  slow  and  laborious.  The  live  bird 
generally  appears  bluish  or  grayish  in  color.  Sometimes  the  streak- 
ings  on  the  breast  can  be  seen,  but  as  a  rule  the  birds  can  not  be 
approached  near  enough  for  their  markings  to  be  distinguished. 
Known  to  most  people  under  the  name  of  "  blue  crane." 

Occurrence. — Herons  existed  along  the  rivers  before  Roosevelt 
Lake  was  in  existence,  but  the  coming  of  this  body  of  water  has 
unquestionably  resulted  in  a  considerable  increase  in  their  numbers. 
At  the  present  time  the  great  blue  heron  forms  a  pleasing  and  pictur- 
esque feature  of  the  lake,  whether  perched  on  some  rocky  point  or 
flapping  slowly  over  the  water,  for  the  birds  are  present  in  numbers. 

The  herons  were  nesting  below  the  mouth  of  Tonto  River,  in  com- 
pany with  the  Farallon  cormorants.  In  one  dead  tree  top  on  June  8 
there  were  10  nests,  mostly  occupied  by  young  great  blue  herons, 
while  nearby  others  were  scattered,  one,  two,  or  three  in  a  tree. 
The  parent  birds  were  wary,  as  usual,  most  of  them  taking  flight 
when  our  boat  was  still  some  distance  away.  From  several  of  the 
nests  young  birds  departed  on  what  were  evidently  their  first  flights. 


54         BIEDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGUAEO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT. 

A  single  great  blue  heron  was  seen  flying  over  the  river  at  Tempe 
on  June  2,  and  one  or  two  others,  from  the  stage,  along  the  Salt 
River  some  miles  below  the  dam.  The  species  doubtless  nests  all 
along  this  stream  wherever  there  are  trees  large  enough  to  meet 
its  needs. 

BLACK-CROWNED  NIGHT   HERON. 
Nycticorax  nycticorax  nwvius    (Boddaert). 

Recognition  marks. — The  strongly  contrasting  colors,  black  crown 
and  back  against  the  white  neck  and  lower  parts,  will  usually  serve 
to  distinguish  the  adult  of  this  species  at  any  reasonable  distance. 
At  close  range  a  glimpse  may  be  had  of  the  long,  slender,  white 
plume,  depending  from  the  back  of  the  head  down  the  neck.  Young 
birds,  for  the  first  year  at  least,  are  quite  different  in  appearance,  dull 
colored,  brownish  or  gray,  and  coarsely  striped  with  dusky.  They 
also  lack  the  white  plume.  Length  about  26  inches;  of  more 
"  chunky  "  build  than  the  great  blue  heron,  with  relatively  heavier 
body  and  not  so  long  a  neck  or  legs. 

Occurrence. — There  were  a  number  of  black-crowned  night  herons 
present  in  the  heronry  at  the  head  of  the  Tonto  River  branch  of 
Roosevelt  Lake,  and  there  can  be  no  doubt,  I  think,  but  that  the  birds 
were  nesting  there.  They  were  not  so  numerous  as  the  great  blue 
herons,  with  which  they  were  associated,  perhaps  20  birds,  all  told, 
being  seen  during  our  visit  to  the  colony.  No  nests  were  identified 
with  certainty  as.  belonging  to  this  species,  but  none  of  them  was 
examined  closely  through  fear  of  seriously  disturbing  the  birds. 

While  there  may  at  times  be  uncertainty  as  to  the  identity  of 
herons  seen  at  a  distance,  there  can  be  no  doubt  about  this  bird  once 
it  gives  voice  to  its  peculiarly  unmelodious  call  note.  The  "  squawk  " 
is  known  the  country  over  to  people  who  have  never  heard  the  more 
dignified  book  name. 

The  species  is  doubtless  a  permanent  resident  about  Roosevelt  Lake, 
as  it  has  been  observed  along  the  Verde  River  during  the  winter 
months. 


BIRDS  SEEN  ON  THE  PAPAGO  SAGUARO  MONUMENT,  ARIZONA,  MAY  30  TO  JUNE  4, 

1917. 

1.  Killdeer  (Oxyechus  vociferus). 

-  2.  Desert  quail  (Lophortyx  gambeli}. 

-  3.  Western  mourning  dove  (Zenaidura  macroiira  marginetta). 
4.  White-winged  dove  (Melopelia  asiatica  trudeaui). 

-  5.  Turkey  vulture  (Cathartes  aura,  septentrionalis) . 

6.  Western  red-tailed  hawk  (Buteo  borealis  calurus). 

7.  American  sparrow  hawk  ( Falco  sparverius  sparverius ) . 

8.  Burrowing  owl  (Speotyto  cunictdaria  hypogcea). 


BIRDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGUARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT.         55 

-»  9.  Roadrunner  ( Geococcyx  calif  ornianus ) . 

10.  Gila  woodpecker  (Centurus  uropygialis). 

11.  Mearns  gilded  flicker  (Colaptes  chrysoides  mearnsi). 
•  12.  Texas  nighthawk  (Chordeiles  acutipennis  texensis). 

13.  White-throated  swift  (Aeronautes  melanoleucus) . 

14.  Black-chinned  hummingbird  (Archilochus  alexandri). 
-15.  Western  kingbird  (Tyra-nnus  verticalis). 

16.  Arizona  crested  flycatcher  (Myiarchus  magister  magister). 

17.  Ash-throated  flycatcher   (Myiarchus  cinerascens  cinerascens). 

18.  Say  Phoebe  (Sayornis  sayus). 

19.  Dwarf  cowbird  (Molothrus  ater  obscurus). 

20.  Sonora  red-winged  blackbird  (Agelaius  phoeniceus  sonoriensis ) . 

21.  House  finch  (Carpodacus  mexicanus  frontalis). 

22.  Cliff  swallow  (Petrochelidon  lunifrons  lunifrons). 

23.  Rough-winged  swallow  (Stelgidopteryx  serripennis) . 

24.  Phainopepla  (Phainopepla  nitens). 

•25.  White- rumped  shrike  (Lanius  ludovicianus  excubitorides) . 

26.  Western  mockingbird  (Mimus  polyglottos  leucopterus) . 

27.  Palmer  thrasher  (Toxostoma  curvirostre  palmeri). 

28.  Cactus  wren  (Heleodytes  brunneicapillus  couesi). 

29.  Verdin  (Auriparus  flaviceps  flaviceps). 

30.  Plumbeous  gnatcatcher  (Polioptila  plumbed). 

BIRDS  SEEN  AT  TEMPE  AND  ON  SURROUNDING  FARM  LANDS,  MAY  30  TO  JUNE  4, 

1917. 

1.  Farallon  cormorant  (Phalacrocorax  auritus  albociliatus) . 

2.  Pallid  great  blue  heron  (Ardea  herodias  treganzai). 

3.  Anthony  green  heron  (Butorides  virescens  anthonyi). 

4.  Killdeer  (Oxyechus  vociferus). 

5.  Desert  quail  (Lophortyx  gambeli). 

6.  Western  mourning  dove  (Zenaidura  macroura  marginella). 

7.  White-winged  dove  (Melopelia  asiatica  trudeaui). 

8.  Mexican  ground  dove  (Chaemepelia  passerina  pallescens). 

9.  Inca  dove  (Scardafella  inca). 

10.  Turkey  vulture   (Cathartes  aura*  septentrionalis) . 

11.  Western  red-tailed  hawk  (Buteo  borealis  calurus). 

12.  American  sparrow  hawk  (Falco  sparverius  sparverius). 

13.  Gila  woodpecker  (Centurus  ut'opygialis). 

14.  Texas  nighthawk   (Chordeiles  acutipennis  texensis). 

15.  Black-chinned  hummingbird  (Archilochus  alexandri). 

16.  Western  kingbird  (Tyrannus  terticalis). 

17.  Black  phoebe  (Sayornis  nigricans). 

18.  Western  wood  pewee  (Myioclianes  richardsoni  richardsoni) .1 

19.  Traill  flycatcher  (Empidonax  trailli  trailli). 

20.  Dwarf  cowbird  (Molothrus  ater  obscurus). 

21.  Sonora  red-winged  blackbird  (Agelaius  phoeniceus  sonoriensis) . 

22.  Western  meadowlark  (Stumella  neglecta). 

23.  Arizona  hooded  oriole  (Icterus  cuciillatus  nelsoni). 

24.  Bullock  oriole  (Icterus  bullocki). 

25.  House  finch   (Carpodacus  mexicanus  frontalis). 
26..  English  sparrow  (Passer  domesticus). 

1  Migrant. 


56          BIRDS  OF  THE  PAP  AGO  SAGUARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT. 

27.  Green-backed  goldfinch   (Astragalimis  psaltria  hesperopliilus) . 

28.  Desert  song  sparrow  (MeTbspiza  melodia  saltonis). 

29.  Abert  towb.ee  (Pipilo  aberti). 

30.  Arizona  cardinal  (Cardinalis  cardinalis  superbus). 

31.  Rough-winged  swallow  (Stelgidopteryx  serripennis) . 

32.  Phainopepla  (Phainopepla  nitens). 

33.  White-rumped  shrike  (Lanius  ludovicianus  excubitorides) . 

34.  Long-tailed  chat  (Icteria  virens  longicauda). 

35.  Pileolated  warbler  (Witeonia  pusilla  pUeolata).1 

36.  Western  mockingbird  (Mimus  polyglottos  leucopterus) . 

37.  Cactus  wren  (Heleodytes  brunneicapilhis  couesi). 

BIRDS  SEEN  IN  THE  IMMEDIATE  VICINITY  OF  ROOSEVELT  LAKE  JUNE  5  TO  11,  AND 
JULY  2  TO  5,  1917. 

1.  Farallon  cormorant    (Phalacrocorax  auritus  albociliatus) . 

2.  Pallid  great  blue  heron   (Ardea  herodias  treganzai). 

3.  Black-crowned  night  heron  (Nycticorax  nycticorax  naevius). 

4.  Killdeer    (Oxyechus  vociferus). 

5.  Desert  quail  (Lophortyx  gambeli). 

6.  Western  mourning  dove  (Zenaidura  macroura  ntarginella). 

7.  White- winged  dove   (Melopelia  asiatica  trudeaui). 

8.  Turkey  vulture   (Cathartes  aura  septentrionalis) . 

9.  Western  red-tailed  hawk   (Buteo  borealis  calurus). 

10.  Zone-tailed  hawk  (Buteo  abbreviatus). 

11.  American  sparrow  hawk  (Falco  sparverius  sparverius). 

12.  Cactus  woodpecker    (Dryobates   scalaris  cactophilus) . 

13.  Gila  woodpecker   (Centurus  uropygialis) . 

14.  Mearns  gilded  flicker    (Colaptes  chrysoides  mearnsi). 

15.  Texas  nighthawk    (Chordeilcs  acutipennis  texensis). 

16.  White-throated  swift   (Aeronautes  melanoleucus) . 

17.  Costa  hummingbird   (Calypte  costae). 

18.  Western  kingbird  (Tyrannus  verticalis). 

19.  Arizona  crested  flycatcher  (Myiarchus  magister  magister). 

20.  Ash-throated  flycatcher  (Myiarchus  dnerascens  cinerascens). 

21.  Say  Phoebe  (Sayornis  sayus). 

22.  Black  Phoebe  (Sayornis  nigricans). 

23.  Western  wood  pewee  (Myiochanes  richardsoni  richardsoni).1 

24.  Vermilion  flycatcher  (Pyr&cephalus  rubimis  mexicanus). 

25.  American  raven  (Corvus  corax  sinuatus). 

26.  Western  crow  (Corvus  brachyrhynchos  hesperis). 

27.  Dwarf  cowbird  (Molothrus  ater  obscurus). 

28.  Scott  oriole  (Icterus  parisorum). 

29.  Arizona  hooded  oriole    (Icterus  cucullatus  nelsoni). 

30.  House  finch  (Carpodacus  niexicanus  frontalis). 

31.  English  sparrow  (Passer  domesticus). 

32.  Green-backed  goldfinch  (Astragalinus  psaltria  hesperophilus) . 

33.  Desert  sparrow   (Amphispisa  bilineata  deserticola) . 

34.  Scott  sparrow   (Aimophila  ruficeps  scotti). 

35.  Canyon  towhee  (Pipilo  fuscus  mesoleucus). 

36.  Arizona  cardinal    (Cardinalis  cardinalis   superbus). 

37.  Western   tanager    (Piranga  ludoviciana) .* 

1  Migrant. 


BIRDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGTJARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT.         57 

38.  Purple  martin    (Progne  subis  subis). 

39.  Cliff  swallow  (Petrochelidon  lunifrons  Umifrons). 

40.  Rough-winged  swallow  (Stelgidopteryx  serripennis) . 

41.  Phainopepla  (Phainopepla  nitens). 

42.  White-rumped  shrike  (Lanius  ludovicianus  excubitorides) . 

43.  Arizona  least  vireo  (Vireo  belli  arizonae). 

44.  Lucy  warbler  (Vernvivora  luaiae). 

45.  Sonora  yellow  warbler  (Dendroica  aestiva  sonorana). 

46.  Western  mockingbird    (Mimus  polyglottos  leucopterus) . 

47.  Palmer  thrasher   (Toxostoma  curvirostre  palmeri). 

48.  Cactus  wren  (Heleodytes  brunneicapillus  couesi). 

49.  Rock  wren   (Salpinctes  obsoletus  obsoletus). 

50.  Canyon  wren   (Catherpes  mexicamis  conspersus). 

51.  Verdin  (Auriparus  flaviceps  flaviceps). 

52.  Plumbeous  gnatcatcher  (Polioptila  plumbed). 

BIRDS  SEEN  IN  THE  SIERRA  ANCHA,  JUNE  11  TO  JULY  2,  1917. 

-  1.  Desert  quail   (Lophortyx  gambeli). 

2.  Merriam  turkey  (Meleagris  gattopavo  merriami). 

"  3.  Band-tailed  pigeon  (Cohtmba  fasciata  fasciata). 

•->  4.  Western   mourning  dove    (Zenaidura  macroura  marginella). 

""  5.  Turkey  vulture    (Oathartes  aura  septentrionalis ) . 

6.  Cooper  hawk  (Accipiter  cooperi). 

7.  Western  red-tailed  hawk  (Buteo  borealis  calurus). 

8.  Zone-tailed  hawk   (Buteo  abbreviatus) . 

-  9.  Bald  eagle   (Haliaeetus  leucocephalus  leucocephalus) . 

10.  American  sparrow  hawk  (Falco  sparverius  sparverius). 

11.  White-breasted  woodpecker   (Dryobates  villchsus  leucothorectis) . 

12.  Batchelder  woodpecker   (Dryobates  piibescens  homorus). 

13.  Mearns  woodpecker  (Melanerpes  formicivorus  aculeatus). 

14.  Red-shafted  flicker  (Colaptes  cafer  collaris). 

15.  Stephens  whippoorwill    (Antrostomus  vociferus  macromystax) . 

16.  White-throated  swift    (Aeronautes  melanoleucus) . 

17.  Broad-tailed  hummingbird   (Selasphorus  platycercus) . 

18.  Cassin  kingbird  (Tyrannus  vociferans). 

19.  Ash-throated  flycatcher  (Myiarchus  cinerascens  cinerascens). 

20.  Black  phoebe   (Sayornis  nigricans). 

21.  Coues  flycatcher  (Myiochanes  pertinax  pallidiventris) . 

22.  Western  wood  pewee  (Myiochanes  richardsoni  richardsoni) . 

23.  Western  flycatcher  (Empidonax  difflcilis  difflcilis). 

24.  Long-crested  jay  (Cyanocitta  stelleri  diademata). 

25.  Woodhouse  jay  (Aphelocoma  woodhousei). 

26.  Arizona  jay  (Aphelocoma  sieberi  arisonae). 

27.  Bendire  crossbill  (Loxia  curvirostra  bendirei).. 

28.  Green-backed  goldfinch  (Astragalimis  psaltria  Jicsperophilus) . 

29.  Black-chinned  sparrow   (Spizella  atrogularis) . 

30.  Red-backed  junco  (Junco  phaeonotus  dorsalis). 

31.  Mountain  towhee  (Pipilo  maculatus  montanus). 

32.  Black-headed  grosbeak  (Zamelodia  melanocephala  melanocepha-la). 

33.  Western  blue  grosbeak  (Guiraca  caerulea  lazula). 

34.  Indigo  bunting  (Passerina  cyanea). 

35.  Lazuli  bunting  (Passerina  amoena). 

36.  Western  tanager  (Piranga  ludoviciana) . 


58         BIRDS  OF  THE  PAPAGO  SAGTTARO  NATIONAL  MONUMENT. 

37.  Hepatic  tanager  (Piranga,  hepatica). 

38.  Purple  martin  (Progne  suUs  subis). 

39.  Northern  violet-green  swallow  (Tachycineta  thalassina  lepida). 

40.  Western  warbling  vireo  (Vireosylva  gilva  swainsoni). 

41.  Plumbeous  vireo  (Lanivireo  solitarius  plumbeus). 

42.  Virginia  warbler  (Vermivora  virginiae). 

43.  Grace  warbler  (Dendroica  graciae). 

44.  Black-throated  gray  warbler  (Dendroica  nigrescent). 

45.  Painted  redstart  (Setophaga  picta). 

46.  Canyon  wren  (Catherpes  rnexicanus  conspersus). 

47.  Desert  wren  (Thryomanes  bewicki  eremophilus). 

48.  Western  house  wren  (Troglodytes  aedon  parkmani) . 

49.  Rocky  mountain  nuthatch  (Sitta  carolinensis  nelsoni). 

50.  Pigmy  nuthatch  (Sitta  pygmaea  pygmaea). 

51.  Bridled  titmouse  (Baeolophus  wollweberi). 

52.  Mountain  chickadee  (Penthestes  gambeli  gambeli). 

53.  Lead-colored  bush-tit  (Psaltriparus  plumbeus). 

54.  Western  gnatcatcher  (Polioptila  caerulea  obscura). 

55.  Audubon  hermit  thrush  (Hylocichla  guttata  auduboni). 

56.  Western  robin  (PJanesticus  migratorius  propinquus). 

57.  Chestnut-backed  bluebird  (Sialia  mexicana  bairdi). 

BIRDS  SEEN  AT  GLOBE  JULY  5  TO  7,  1917. 

-  1.  Desert  quail  (Lophortyx  gambeli). 

,  2.  Western  mourning  dove  (Zenaidura  macroura  marginella). 
~~3.  White- winged  dove  (Melopelia  asiatica  trudeaui). 
4.  Inca  dove  (Scardafella  inca). 

-  5.  Turkey  vulture   (Carthartes  aura  septentrionalis) . 

6.  American  sparrow  hawk  (Falco  sparverius  sparverius). 
^7.  Cactus  woodpecker  (Dryobates  scalaris  cactophilus). 

8.  Western  kingbird   (Tyrannus  verticalis). 

9.  Ash-throated  flycatcher   (Myiarchus  cinerascens  cinerascens) . 

10.  Say  phoebe   (Sayornis  sayus). 

11.  Dwarf  cowbird  (Molothrus  ater  obscurus). 

12.  Bullock  oriole   (Icterus  bullocki). 

13.  House  finch  (Carpodacus  mexicanus  frontaUs). 

14.  English  sparrow  (Passer  domesticus). 

15.  Green-backed  goldfinch   (Astragalinus  psaltria  hesperophilus) . 

16.  Western  lark  sparrow  (Chondestes  grammacus  strigatus). 

17.  Desert  sparrow   (Amphispiza  bilineata  deserticola) . 

18.  Canyon  townee  (Piptto  fuscus  mesoleucus). 

19.  Rough- winged  swallow  (Stelgidopteryx  serripennis) . 

20.  Phainopepla  (Phainopepla  nitens). 

21.  White-rumped  shrike  (Lanius  ludomcianus  excubitorides). 

22.  Western  mockingbird  (Mimus  polyglottos  leucopterus) . 

23.  Palmer  thrasher  (Toxostoma  curvirostre  palmeri). 

24.  Cactus  wren   (Hcleodytes  brunneicapillus  couesi). 

25.  Rock  wren  (Salpinctes  obsoletus  obsoletus). 

26.  Verdin  (Auriparus  flaviceps  flaviceps). 


INDEX. 


Page. 
Abert  towhee  _________________   20,56 

Accipiter  cooperi  ______________        57 

Aeronautes  melanoleucus  ____  55,  56,  57 

Agelaius  phoeniceus  sonoriensis-        55 
Aimophila  ruflceps  scotti  _______        56 

American  raven  _______________        56 

sparrow  hawk  _____________       14, 

54,  55,  56,  57,  58 
Amphispiza    bilineata     deserti- 
cola  _____________________  34,  56,  58 

Anthony  green  heron  ___________        55 

Antrostomus    vociferus    macro- 

mystax  _____________________        57 

Aphelocoma  sieberi  arizonse  ____        57 

Aphelocoma  woodhousei  _______        57 

Archilochus    nlexandri  _________         55 

Ardea  herodias  treganzai  ____  53,  55,  56 

Arizona  cardinal  ______________    19,  56 

crested  flycatcher.  12,  14,  39,  55,  56 
hooded  oriole  ___________  20,  55,  56 

jay  ____________________  21,  24,  57 

least  vireo  ______________  17,  20,  57 

Ash-throated  flycatcher  ________        14 

20,  55,  56,  57,  58 
Astragalinus    psaltria    hespero- 

philus  ___________________  56,  57,  58 

Audubon  hermit  thrush  _____  21,  26,  58 

Auriparus  flaviceps  flaviceps  ___       31, 
55,  57,  58 


Baeolophus  wollweberi  ________        58 

Bald  eagle  ____________________        57 

Band-tailed  buzzard  ___________        38 

Band-tailed  pigeon  ____________   23,57 

Batchelder  woodpecker  _____  21,  24,  57 

Bendire  crossbill  _____________  6,  7,  57 

Bendire  thrasher  ______________        27 

Blackbird,  Sonora  red-winged  __        55 
Black-chinned  hummingbird  ____        55 

Black-chinned  sparrow  _________        57 

Black-crowned  night  heron__  16,  54,  56 
Black-headed  grosbeak  ________        57 

Black  phoebe  ______________  55,  56,  57 


Page. 

Black-throated  gray  warbler 25,  58 

Bluebird,  chestnut-backed 26,58 

Bridled  titmouse 21,26,58 

Broad-tailed  hummingbird 23,  57 

Brown  thrasher 27 

Bullock  oriole 55,58 

Bunting,  indigo 6, 25,  57 

lazuli 25, 57 

Bush-tit,  lead-colored 58 

Buteo  abbreviatus 36,56,57 

borealis  calurus 54,55,56,57 

Butorides  virescens  anthonyi 55 

Burrowing  owl 54 

Buzzard,  band-tailed 38 

C. 

Cactus  woodpecker 20,  56,  58 

wren 12, 13, 29-,  55, 56,  57,  58 

Calypte  costae 56 

Canyon  towhee 20,  23,  56,  58 

wren 17, 57,  58 

Cardinal,  Arizona 19,56 

Cardinalis  cardinalis  superbus__        56 
Carpodacus      mexicanus     fron- 

talis 55, 56, 58 

Cassin  kingbird 23,  24, 33, 57 

Cathartes  aura  septentrionalis_        54, 
55,  56,  57,  58 
Catherpes    mexicanus    consper- 

sus 57, 58 

Centurus  uropygialis 48,  55,  56 

Chaemepelia    passerina    palles- 

cens 55 

Chat,  long-tailed 56 

Chestnut-backed   bluebird 26,58 

Chickadee,    mountain 21,26,58 

Chondestes    grammacus    striga- 

tus 58 

Chordeiles  acutipennis  texensis_       38, 
55,56 

Cliff  swallow 17,  55,  57 

Colaptes  cafer  collaris 57 

chrysoides  mearnsi 45, 55,  56 

Columba  fascia ta  fasciata 57 

59 


60 


INDEX. 


Page. 

Cooper  hawk 57 

Cormorant,  Farallon 16,  52,  55,  56 

Corvus      brachyrhynchos      lies- 
peris 56 

corax  sinuatus 56 

Costa  hummingbird 23,56 

Coues  flycatcher 21, 24, 57 

Cowbird,    dwarf 19,20,33,55,56,58 

Crissal  thrasher 27 

Crossbill,  Bendire 6,7,57 

Crow,  western 20, 56 

Cyanocitta  stelleri  diademata__        57 


Dendroica  aestiva  sonorana 57 

graciae 58 

nigrescens 58 

Desert  quail  _  19,  23, 40,  54,  55,  56,  57, 58 

song  sparrow 56 

sparrow 13, 19,  20,  34,  56,  58 

wren 26,  58 

Dove,  Inca 43,  55, 58 

Mexican  ground 55 

mourning 14, 

19,  23,  54,  55,  56,  57,  58 

white-winged 12, 

19,  23,  41,  54,  55,  56,  58 

Dryobates  pubescens  homorus_  57 

scalaris  cactophilus 56,  58 

villosus  leucothorectis 57 

Dwarf  cowbird 19,  20,  33,  55,  56,  58 


E. 


Eagle,  bald 57 

Eastern  crested  flycatcher 39 

Empidonax 19 

difficilis  difflcilis 57 

trailli  trailli 55 

English  sparrow 17,  55,  56,  58 

F. 

Falco  sparverius  sparverius 54, 

55, 56,  57,  58 

Farallon  cormorant 16,  52,  55,  56 

Ferruginous  pigmy  owl 6 

Finch,  house 14,17,55,56,58 

Flicker,  Mearns  gilded 14, 45,  55,  56 

red-shafted 23,  24,  57 

yellow-shafted 45 

Flycatcher,  Arizona  crested 12, 

14,  39,  55,  56,  57 


Page. 

ash-throated 14,  20,  55,  56,  58 

Coues 21,  24,  57 

eastern  crested 39 

olive-sided 24 

Traill 55 

vermilion 18,  56 

western 24,  57 

G. 

Geococcyx  californianus 55 

Gila  woodpecker 13, 14, 19, 48,  55,  56 

Gilded  flicker 12,13,23 

Gnatcatcher,  plumbeous 13, 

19,  23,  55,  57 

western 23,  58 

Goldfinch,  green-backed 25, 

56,  57,  58 

Grace  warbler 25,  58 

Green-backed  goldfinch 25,  56,  57,  58 

Grosbeak,  black-headed 57 

western  blue 25,  57 

Guiraca  cserulea  lazula 57 

H. 

Haliaeetus  leucocephalus  leuco- 

cephalus 57 

Hawk,  American  sparrow 14, 

54,  55,  56,  57,  58 

Cooper 57 

Swainson . 9, 14 

western  red-tailed 14, 

23,  54, 55,  56,  57 
zone-tailed 36,  56,  57 

Heleodytes  brunneicapillus 

couesi 29, 55,  57,  58 

Hepatic  tanager 21,25,58 

Heron,  Anthony  green 55 

black-crowned  night 16,  54,  56 

pallid  great  blue 16,  53,  55,  56 

House  finch 14, 17,  55,  56,  58 

Hummingbird,  black-chinned 55 

broad-tailed 23,  57 

Costa 23,  56 

Hylocichla  guttata  auduboni 58 


Icteria  virens  longicauda 56 

Icterus  bullocki 55,  58 

cucullatus  nelsoni 55,  56 

parisorum 56 

Inca  dove 43,  55,  58 

Indigo  bunting 6,  25,  57 


INDEX. 


61 


J.  Page. 

Jay,  Arizona 21,24,57 

long-crested 24,  57 

Woodhouse 25,  57 

Junco  phaeonotus  dorsalis 57 

Junco,  red-backed 57 


K. 


Killdeer 16,  54,  55,  56 

Kingbird,  Cassin 23,  24,  33,  57 

western 23, 32,  55,  56,  58 


Lanius      ludovicianus      excubi- 

torides 55,  56, 57,  58 

Lanivireo  solitarius  plumbeus 58 

Lazuli  bunting 25,  57 

Lead-colored  bush  tit 26,  58 

Linnet 17 

Long-crested  jay 24,  57 

Long-tailed  chat 56 

Lophortyx  gambeli_40,  54,  55,  56,  57,  58 

Loxia  curvirostra  bendirei 6,  7,  57 

Lucy  warbler 19, 23, 57 


Marsh  wren 30 

Martin,  purple 14, 57,  58 

Meadowlark 13 

western 55 

Mearns  gilded  nicker 14,  45,  55,  56 

woodpecker 2H,  57 

Melanerpes  forrnicivorus  acule- 

atus 57 

Meleagris  gallopavo  merriami__        57 

Melopelia  asiatica  trudeaui 41, 

54,  55,  56,  58 

Melospiza  melodia  saltonis 56 

Merriam  turkey 57 

Mexican  ground  dove 55 

Mimus  polyglottos  leucopterus_       55, 

56, 57,  58 

Mockingbird 18 

Western 55.  56,  57,  58 

Molothrus  ater  obscurus__  33,  55,  56,  58 
Mountain  chickadee 21,  26,  58 

towhee 23,  57 

Mourning  dove 14, 19,  23 

Myiarchiis  cinerascens   cineras- 
cens 55,  56,  57, 58 

magister  magister 39,  55,  56 


Page. 

Myiochanes  pertinax  pallidiven- 
tris 57 

richardsoni  richardsoni_  55,  56,  57 


N. 


Nighthawk,  Texas 38,  55,  56 

Northern  violet-green  swallow 58 

Nuthatch,  pigmy 58 

Rocky  Mountain 58 

Nycticorax  nycticorax  naevius_    54,  56 


O. 


Olive-sided  flycatcher 24 

Oriole,  Arizona  hooded 20,  55,  56 

Bullock 55,  58 

Scott 19,  56 

Owl,  burrowing 54 

elf 14 

screech 14 

western  horned 14 

Oxyechus  vociferus 54,55,56 


Painted  redstart 21, 25, 58 

Pallid  great  blue  heron__  16,  53.  55,  56 

Palmer  thrasher 12, 18,  27,  55,  57,  58 

Passer  domesticus 55,  56,  58 

Passerina  cyanea 6,  57 

'   amoena 57 

Penthestes  gambeli  gambeli 58 

Petrochelidon     lunifrons     luni- 

frons 55,  57 

Pewee,  western  wood 19, 

23,  55,  56,  57 
Phainopepla 19,  35,55,56,57,58 

nitens 35,  55,  56,  57,  58 

Phalacrocorax  auritus  albocilia- 

tus 52,  55,  56 

Phoebe,   black ,_  55,56,57 

Say 55,56,58 

Pigeon,  band-tailed 23,  57 

Pigmy  nuthatch 58 

Pileolated  warbler 56 

Polioptila  caerulea  obscura 58 

plumbea 55,  57 

Pipilo  aberti 50 

fuscus  mesoleucus 56,  58 

maculatus  montanus 57 

Piranga  hepatica 58 

ludoviciana 56,  57 


62 


INDEX. 


Page. 
Planesticus  migratorlus  propin- 

quus  ___, 58 

Plumbeous  gnatcatcher 13, 

19,  23,  55,  57 

vireo 58 

Polioptila  plumbea 55,57 

Progne  subis  subis 57,  58 

Psaltriparus  plumbeus 58 

Purple  martin, 14,  57,  58 

Pyrocephalus      rubinus      mexi- 

canus  __  56 


Q. 


Quail,  desert.  19,  23,  40,  54,  55,  56,  57,  58 
R. 

Raven,  American 19,  56 

white-necked 9 

Red-backed  junco 57 

Red-shafted  flicker 23,  24,  57 

Redstart,  painted 21,  25,  58 

Roadrunner___ 55 

Robin,  western 26,58 

Rock  wren 18,  57,  58 

Rocky  Mountain  nuthatch 58 

Rough- winged  swallow 55,  56,  57,  58 

Rufous-crown  sparrow 19 

S. 

Salpinctes  obsoletus  obsoletus__    57,  58 

Say  phoebe . 55,  56*,  58 

Sayornis  nigricans 55,  56,  57 

sayus 55,  56,  58 

Scardafella  inca 43,  55,  58 

Scott  oriole 19,  56 

sparrow 19,  56 

Selasphorus  platycercus 57 

Setophaga  picta 58 

Shrike,  white-rumped 55,56,57,58 

Sialia  mexicana  bairdi 58 

Sitta  carolinensis  nelsoni 58 

Sitta  pygmaea  pygmaea 58 

Sonora  red-winged  blackbird 55 

yellow  warbler 57 

Sparrow,  black-chinned 57 

desert  song 56 

desert 13, 19,  20,  34,  56,  58 

English 17,  55,  56,  58 

rufous-crowned 19 

Scott 19,  56 

western  lark 58 


Page. 

Speotyto  cunicularia  hypogaea 54 

Spizella  atrogularis 57 

Stelgidopteryx  serripennis 55, 

56,  57,  58 

Stephens  whippoorwill 24,  57 

Sturnella  neglecta 55 

Swallow,  cliff 17,  55,  57 

northern  violet-green 58 

rough-winged 23,  55,  56,  57,  58 

violet-green 23 

Swainson  hawk 9, 14 

Swift,  white-throated.  17,19,55,56,57 


T. 


Tachycineta  thalassina  lepida__        58 

Tanager,  hepatic 21,  25,  58 

western IS,  21,  56,  57 

Texas  nighthawk 38, 55,  56 

Thrasher,  brown 27 

Bendire 27 

crissal 27 

Palmer 12, 18,  27,  55,  57,  58 

Thrush,  Audubon  hermit 21,  26,  58 

Thryomanes    bewicki    eremoph- 

ilus 58 

Titmouse,  bridled 21,  26,  58 

Towhee,  Abert 20,  56 

canyon 20,  23,  56,  58 

mountain 23,  57 

Toxostoma  curvirostre  palmeri_       27, 
55,  57,  58 

Traill  flycatcher _' 55 

Troglodytes  aedon  parkmani 58 

Turkey  vulture 23,  54,  55,  56,  57,  58 

Turkey,  wild 23,  57 

Tyrannus  verticalis 32,  55,  56,  58 

vociferans 33,  57 


Y. 


Verdin 13, 15, 19,  31,  55,  57,  58 

Vermilion  flycatcher 18,  56 

Vermivora  luciae 57 

virginiae 25,  58 

Vireo,  Arizona  least 17,20,57 

plumbeous 58 

western  warbling 58 

Vireo  belli  arizonae 57 

Vireosylva  gilva  swainsoni 58 

Virginia  warbler 23,58 

Violet-green  swallow... 23 

Vulture,  turkey 23,  54,  55, 56, 57,  58 


INDEX. 


63 


w. 

Page. 
Warbler,  black-throated  gray__  25,58 

Grace 25,  58 

Lucy 19,  23,  51 

piteolated 56 

Sonora  yellow 57 

Virginia 23,  25,  58 

Western  blue  grosbeak 25,57 

crow 56 

flycatcher 24,  57 

gnatcatcher 23,  58 

house  wren 26,  58 

kingbird 23,  32,  55,  56,  58 

lark  sparrow 58 

meadowlark 55 

mockingbird 55,  56,  57, 58 

mourning  dove___  54,  55,  56,  57, 58 
red-tailed  hawk  14,  23,  54,  55,  56,  57 

robin 26, 58 

tanager 18, 21, 56,  57 

warbling  vireo 58 

white-winged  dove 12, 

19,  23,  41,  54,  55,  56, 58 

wood  pewee 19,  23,  55,  56, 57 

Whippoorwilt,   Stephens 24,57 

White-breasted  woodpecker 24,57 


Page. 

White-rurnped  shrike 55,  56, 57,  58 

White-throated  swift—  17, 19,  55,  56, 57 

Wilsonia  pusilla  pileolata 56 

Wild  turkey 23 

Woodhouse  jay 25,57 

Woodpecker,  Batchelder 21,24,57 

cactus 20, 56, 58 

Gila 13, 14, 19, 48,  55, 56 

Mearns 24,57 

white-breasted 24, 57 

Wren,   cactus 12,29,55,56,57,58 

canyon 17, 57,  58 

desert 26, 58 

marsh 30 

rock 18, 57,  58 

western  house 26,  58 

Y. 

Yellow-shafted  flicker 45 

Z. 

Zone-tailed  hawk 36, 56, 57 

Zenaidura  macroura  marginella-       54, 

55,  56, 57,  58 

Zamelodia  melanocephala __        57 


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